


I'll Make This Place Your Home

by mbizzlexo



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Character Death, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-28
Updated: 2013-01-18
Packaged: 2017-11-14 08:03:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mbizzlexo/pseuds/mbizzlexo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lost!AU Flight 815 from Australia to L.A. crashes, leaving a group of strangers stranded on a mysterious island. No one is coming for them and the island holds terrifying and mysterious secrets. All of the passengers have a secret. All of them are Lost. Mostly cannon parings, and for now, just Storybrooke characters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Lost crossover, with OUaT characters instead of the Lost characters. It will follow the Lost time line and most of the plot, but things will differ as well, since these are different characters and will therefore make different choices. People are going to die. I want to be very upfront about that. If you've seen Lost then you know it kills everyone you love ha. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this, I'm looking forward to writing it. It will begin to go more in-depth into everyone's back grounds as well, flashing backwards as well as telling the present story.
> 
> Lastly, if you've never seen Lost I will attempt to explain everything as best I can so it makes sense. My beta hasn't seen the show, so if she gets confused I'll know things need to be explained better.

Belle should have gone to Los Angeles a week ago. There had been no good reason to postpone her trip, but flying made her nervous. She knew, realistically, that flying was safer than driving her car but that didn't stop her from gripping her arm rest nervously. Next to her Garrett, her boyfriend, rolled his eyes.

"Calm down Belle," he said for the thirtieth time. "I'm going to the bathroom."

It was her turn to roll her eyes at that statement. Garrett thought he had hidden his heroin problem from her but she wasn't stupid. As he left her to go get high she wondered why they were still together. She was certain he was sleeping with his groupies, his music was terrible, and they could barely tolerate each other.

His band, Night Swords, had had one major hit right after they graduated high school. Belle had been happy to support him back then, when he had been sober and his dreams weren't clouded by money and women. Fame and drugs had twisted everything that was good about him and turned him into a man who couldn't sit through a twelve hour flight without getting high. She supposed she still felt that old sense of loyalty that you got when you'd known someone your whole life. The plane jolted violently for a moment and Belle gripped the arm rest again, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. The plane steadied after a moment and she opened her eyes. Next to her an attractive blonde man with blue eyes was smiling at her.

"Afraid of flying?" He asked and there was no judgment in his voice for which she was grateful for.

She nodded. "First time," she admitted. He smiled sympathetically and took her hand."Well I'm here until your husband gets back," he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Boyfriend," she corrected as the plane bounced again. "My name is Belle," she added, trying to distract herself from her fear.

"David. Don't worry, flying is completely safe. I do it often." His smile was lost as the plane jolted hard. Her eyes flew shut even with David's hand holding hers reassuringly.

That was when everything went to hell. The plane dropped and Belle's eyes flew open when the little oxygen mask hit her on the face. She and David stopped holding hands as they both fumbled for the yellow plastic breathing mask. She hysterically wondered if it was possible for them to have jinxed the plane.

She had just secured her mask on her face when the back of the plane groaned loudly, and with an ear shattering noise, broke off from them. She couldn't hear anything after that, the wind roaring deafeningly. She looked over and saw David was already unconscious before she followed him into the darkness.

She woke when she hit the water. It took Belle a moment to figure out how she got there. Plane crash, her mind screamed and then she kicked to get to the inhaled sharply and then screamed. In the water next to her was a bleeding body, the neck twisted grotesquely. She swam away quickly, her eyes finding a beach not far from where she was. As she swam she could hear the sound of the plane's engine screaming and people running around, some pulling people out of the water, others standing there in shock.

When she was close enough that her feet touched sand, two men ran out to her and helped her to the beach where she promptly collapsed. She didn't have time to relax before the engine exploded. She covered her head with her arms but she was far enough away from it to keep her safe. Her ears were ringing from the explosion and shock was starting to set in, if it hadn't already.

She watched with a detached sort of horror as bodies washed up on shore, some dead and some alive. The alive ones were taken to a man Belle surmised must be a doctor. The dead ones were placed in a pile to be dealt with later.

She felt like she should be helping but she couldn't will herself to move. She didn't know how anyone was doing anything but sitting there with her. She just watched, deciding she wasn't immediately useful as a rare book dealer, and waited for someone to tell her what to do. She saw David helping the doctor, attempting to save whoever was lying under them. Near them a man, in what had likely been a crisp suit, watch for a moment before walking toward the opposite end of the beach. A pretty blonde was rubbing her wrists and looking around nervously, a young boy standing next to her clutching a large brown book.

"You okay?" A man plopped down next to her and loosened his scarf, throwing it off to the side. His neck was bleeding in a thin line from ear to ear. She gasped and scrambled back but he just smiled easily.

"It's shallow doll, calm down. Come back, tell me your name."She just stared for a long moment, trying to absorb his words. How was he so calm?

"Belle," she finally rasped out, earning a smile of approval from the stranger. He was taking his shoes off and letting his toes dig in the sand.

"And what do you do, Belle?"

"Books," she said, her brain unable to keep up with his questions.

"A librarian?" He asked, not sounding like he really cared. That wasn't unusual; Garrett was always telling her she was a glorified librarian. Garrett.

Her head snapped up. "Garrett." She climbed to her feet and delved into the chaos, searching for her boyfriend. He had left her to go to the bathroom. The bathroom in the back of the plane that had split from the rest of them mid-air.

She couldn't help herself as she vomited all over the sand.

"Well isn't that lovely," a Scottish voice said to her left. She looked up through her hair to see his scorn. She wanted to say something to him but instead vomited again. It was almost poetic, and if she hadn't been so disturbed it would have been funny.

"Okay, up you go," hands were around her waist, pulling her off her knees and to her feet. It was the same man who had been asking her about her job and name.

"He's dead," she rasped, dry heaving. The dark haired man led her away from the chaos and sat her back down on the sand.

"Let it out," he said, his face showing genuine emotion. She didn't realize she had been crying, she couldn't have said when she started. No matter his flaws, Garrett didn't deserve to die like that.

"My name is Jefferson," he told her after a while. She didn't know how long they had been sitting there; it could have been minutes or hours. She looked over at him, wiping her eyes. "Hi," she said, offering him a shaking hand. He took it immediately, shaking it firmly. His grip was soothing and she was grateful when he let her continue holding it. "We're going to be rescued. They're probably already looking for us." He looked so certain that Belle didn't doubt him for a moment. She wanted to get home, to lie in her own bed and cry and sleep until it all made sense.

"Hungry?" An elderly woman was holding two meals that looked as if they had been salvaged from the plane. They both accepted but neither was very hungry. They picked at their food in silence, occasionally urging the other to eat. She watched as a small group of people bickered over what to do with the bodies, the Scottish man who had been so rude to her earlier watched and occasionally antagonized them. The men didn't come to a decision, instead deciding to wait until the rescue team came. Belle personally thought that was a good plan; it would be disrespectful to bury them here on this island instead of taking them home.

Night fell and everyone moved in closer to the wreckage of the plane. A large fire had been built and the same woman who had given them food passed around blankets. Belle and Jefferson found a spot close enough to the fire to be warm. David stopped by for a moment and expressed his gratitude that Belle had lived and advised her to see the doctor, a man called Dr. Whale. Belle had smiled politely and agreed even though she had no intention of doing so. She could tell the doctor had his plate full, the last thing he needed was her bothering him.

It seemed David had taken on the role of de-facto leader. People were coming to him, asking questions and trying to find ways to be useful. Belle briefly wondered what he had done before the crash to give him such confidence around all these people, in light of what had just happened.

After a while peace settled over the camp as people found spots to sleep for the night. There were quite conversations going on around them, although Belle and Jefferson preferred to sit in silence. Belle noticed that Jefferson watched people, either from old habits or boredom and curiosity, but she couldn't help but wonder what he was learning about this group of strangers. She herself wasn't interested in the people around her. She was fixed on Garrett and his death, and how she would explain it to his parents. They worshipped Garrett, their prized only son. She knew they would be angry she had lived while he had died and briefly she considered not saying anything to them at all, but Belle didn't consider herself a coward. She would apologize and leave out the bad stuff and hope they forgave her for something she had no control of. She was also becoming increasingly worried about her father. He was likely getting the news now that her plane had crashed. The man already had a weak heart after the loss of her mother; she knew the stress of this was likely to give him another heart attack. The thought made her want to be sick again.

She tried to put the thought from her mind. They were going to be rescued soon and she would reassure him herself that everything was fine.

Jefferson turned to her to say something when something violent and loud began shaking at the trees on the edge of the jungle. Everyone immediately became alarmed, Belle included. Every worst case scenario filed through her head as she waited for whatever was to rip its way through the jungle and kill them all.

After several tense moments the roaring and shaking stopped. Everyone was waiting with bated breath to see if this was just the calm before the storm, but nothing happened and people began to relax slightly. Belle knew one thing, as she settled back, edging slightly closer to Jefferson: she would not be getting any sleep tonight.

Belle slept poorly that night after the noises from the jungle. Jefferson seemed to fair no better than she did, and she was grateful for the morning. She had assumed the rescue planes would have found them by now, but there was nothing but clear skies and blue water, unblemished by boats and planes. People were beginning to become panicked, Belle included. She refused to believe anything but eminent rescue was on the horizon.

David decided to go and search for the cockpit and Belle was quick to join him, along with a young boy named Sean who claimed he thought he knew where it had landed.

Belle was grateful for the distraction and something to do. They walked in quiet silence through the jungle, David following in the direction Sean had pointed out. "So uh, what were you doing in Australia?" Sean asked. He was young, she noticed.

"I live there," she said pointedly, letting her Australian accent color her words.

"Right, sorry," he looked a little abashed. Belle decided in that moment that she liked him. He was sweet in a dopey sort of way and likely harmless.

"What about you?" She smiled at him as they trekked up a large hill.

He looked far away for a moment before he said, "Just tying up a loose end." He looked sad, and couldn't quite meet her eyes and she wondered what loose end he had to tie.

"I can't stay," Sean said, stepping into the pretty blonde girl's apartment, "But I had to see you, tell you myself."

"What is there to say Sean?" She asked angrily. "Your daddy has made the decision for you. You don't have to explain anything to me." Somehow her Australian accent made her sound sweeter than the words she was saying. "

"It's more complicated than that," he protested. She snorted in disbelief, her hand resting on her barely protruding stomach. 

"It is not. Your daddy doesn't want his only son raising a baby so he's threatening to cut you off you stay with me. You chose the money. Good riddance, Sean. The baby deserves a better role model than you." Every word was venom.

"I want to help you Ella," he pulled out a check and offered it to her. She snatched it and immediately ripped it up.

"I don't want your money. I don't want anything from you, not your money or your pity."

"Ella, please..." he looked at her pleadingly and he could see tears welling up in her eyes but her face remained resolute". . .

"Just go Sean. We don't need you. Consider yourself absolved of all responsibilities."He faltered, unsure of what to so. He took a step towards her but she turned her head, tears spilling onto her cheeks. She pointed at the door. "Please, Sean. Go," she whispered. 

He walked up to her and wiped her tears away, placed another check in her hand. He had come prepared, knowing his firey Ella well. She crunched it in her fist but didn't rip it up. He considered that progress. "If you need anything..." he trailed off, unsure what he could follow that with. She would never call him for anything, he knew that, but he had to put the offer out there. He was only twenty; he wasn't ready to be a father. This was for the best.

He walked out, shutting the door softly behind him and walked to his car. Immediately his phone rang. It was his father calling to see where he was, if he had broken things off with Ella. His father would be angry when he learned of the money Sean had given Ella but it didn't matter. Ella deserved something, even if she didn't want tossed the phone into the passenger seat and drove away. He had a flight to catch.

-

"Here it is," David said. The front of the plane was leaning against a tree. Belle and Sean jogged to catch up. Belle could already tell the angle was going to be problematic but David was undeterred, climbing in first. Belle followed with Sean at the rear, all three using the backs of the chairs to climb up.

"Oh God," Sean gasped when his hand slipped onto one of the dead bodies still strapped to their chairs. Belle was trying not to focus on that, or the smell which was starting to become overwhelming. She knew that for as long as she lived she would never forget the smell of decay and rot that currently filled the plane.

Belle slipped once when they reached the door to the cockpit but David was quick and caught her. "Thanks," she smiled, pulling herself up with his help and through the door. Sean disappeared into the bathroom and she could hear him retching.

Inside the cockpit both pilots appeared to be dead. David was either unaffected or good at concealing his emotions because he immediately began searching for the transceiver they needed to send their distress call.

A loud gasping noise came from the pilot. Belle and David both jumped as the dark haired man looked around in horror. David pushed past Belle to check on the man and Belle was beginning to see David had a bit of a hero complex.

"Are you all right?" David asked the disoriented man. "We crashed," the pilot told them. Belle crouched near them.

"We're looking for the transceiver; we're going to send a distress call."

The pilot reached around her and pulled out what looked like a large walkie talkie and handed it to her.

"Where are we?" David asked. The general consensus was that they couldn't be far off course. "How far from Australia are we?"

The pilot shook his head and Belle was filled with a sense of dread. "We lost radio communication about six hours in to the flight. We had turned around and were heading for Fiji when we hit turbulence. No one knew where we were. They're looking for us, but not in the right spot. No one is coming."

David and Belle exchanged a terrified glance. "No," said David. "We'll send out a distress signal. Someone is bound to hear it."The pilot opened his mouth to respond when a loud clicking noise roared from outside. The three of them froze until it stopped.

"What was that?" The pilot asked, his eyes wide with fear.

"We should go. Belle, find Sean."

Belle nodded and left David and the pilot in the cockpit. Sean was still in the bathroom looking absolutely green. When he saw her, he offered a weak smile which she returned sympathetically. She had been in the same boat yesterday and had no room to judge him.

"I didn't think..." he trailed off and she nodded. She had not considered the possibility that the front end of the plane would have been a tomb for some of the passengers either. "We found the transceiver," she waved it slightly. It made their adventure a success, and considering what they had just witnessed, Belle needed a little victory.

The clicking noise was back, louder than before. Belle and Sean climbed back into the cockpit just in time to see something grab the pilot through a shattered window. David grabbed him, attempting to keep him in the plane, but whatever had the pilot was much stronger.

"Run!" David ordered, as if anyone needed any persuading. It was much easier to get out of the plane than it had been to get in it and once out the three of them took off running at full speed. Belle was surprised she was the fastest as she ran, and when she turned she realized neither Sean or David were behind her. She stopped running, listening for the roaring noise but it was gone. The jungle was almost eerily quiet and she was tempted to turn heel and keep running until she reached the beach.

"Do the brave thing and bravery will follow," she said to herself, taking a deep breath. She turned around and began jogging the way she same she came, finding Sean and David walking. Sean's jeans were ripped at the knee and she surmised he had fallen. "I'm sorry, I didn't...""It's okay," David waved her off. "Let's go find the pilot."

Personally Belle thought that was the worst idea they had had all day but she didn't argue. David had a very obvious deep seated need to rescue everyone and she didn't want to leave him here alone, or worse, be the one to have to tell everyone on the beach that no one was coming for them.

Their trek back was silent. "Look," Sean said, his face green again. He was pointing up towards the tree tops where the pilot's body was suspended, bloody and broken. The man was obviously dead. All three of them looked at each other, sick and horrified. "Let's go," David said, putting on a brave face. Belle and Sean followed behind him, prepared for the worst as they headed back to the beach. Rain began to fall and Belle turned her face upwards for a moment. All she felt was despair. They were going to die here. Every one of them.


	2. Chapter 2

David sat outside a hospital room, his head cradled in both of his hands. He shouldn't be here now; he should be at home making things right with his wife. He didn't know why he had chosen to go to Australia and meet the twin brother he never knew existed until two days before. The brother his parents had basically sold so they could continue living on that shitty farm. He couldn't look at his mother after she told him, told him that his twin, James, was dead, murdered, and the man who was his father was offering her several million dollars if he would come down and pretend to be his brother for a few days. His mother had begged, said the farm was nearly bankrupt and she needed the money desperately to keep it afloat. His mother had struggled to run it after his father's death five years earlier.

So he agreed, leaving behind his wife who was on the brink of divorcing him, and flew to Australia so he could prance around in a tux and make a deal with some wealthy tycoon, Milo Dias. The man, who had bought his brother, Albert Spencer, liked his performance so much he wanted to keep David around and continue to be James forever but David couldn't. He wasn't a show pony; he was farm boy turned veterinarian with a marriage crumbling around him.

He slipped away after buying his plane ticket back to California. He had planned to wait until the last-minute and then get on the plane and pretend none of it had ever happened, but instead found himself at the hospital where James' body was. Albert hadn't buried him yet. David needed to see the face of the brother he never knew he had, just once. 

James looked exactly like him, cold and motionless on a hospital gurney, sheet pulled over his body to hide everything but his face. David couldn't stomach to see him longer than a moment, leaving his brother's body as he made his way to a chair outside the room. Had his brother enjoyed this clandestine lifestyle, where even in death no one mourned him because no one knew he was dead? David needed to get his brother out of this place. Consequences be damned, no one had claimed him in four days. When the nurse came out with a clipboard for paperwork David knew what he had to do."I'm going to take him home with me today," he told the nurse. She smiled at David.

"I'll go get the paperwork."

She was still watching him sympathetically, obviously thinking David was overwhelmed by the loss of his twin brother. 

"I, uh, don't have a coffin...it...this all happened so suddenly." It wasn't technically a lie so he tried not to feel guilty about it.

"I'll handle it honey."

She did handle it. An hour later James' body was being loaded into the Jeep he had rented by the helpful hospital staff as David looked on silently. His flight left in an hour, he hoped it was enough time to board his brother without Albert finding out what he had done.

David's wife was going to be pissed when she found out how much money he had spent on a coffin for a sibling he had never met. He found he didn't care in that moment. Fixing things with Abby could wait. This was about honor and he knew his brother deserved better than sitting in a hospital while everyone else pretended he was alive.

"All set," the same friendly nurse told him. She handed him a copy of the paperwork and left with the orderlies who had put James in his car. David took a deep breath. He was stealing his brother's body.

With that in mind he got in his car and drove to the airport.  
-  
"So what were you doing in Australia?" Sean asked David asked they walked. They were close to the beach, the rain had stopped, and their nerves had calmed slightly since the finding the pilot dead in the tree tops. Belle didn't really care what David had done in Australia, but Sean obviously did so she stayed quiet and listened.

"I went to get my brother," David told him. The three of them paused when they heard sounds of shouting floating up from the beach. David took off running in the direction of the yelling, Sean at his heels. Belle sighed, tired already of the constant drama, and followed after them, unwilling to be alone in the jungle without them.

When she got there she noticed several things at once. The Scotsman was sneering, his arms pinned behind his back by a very annoyed looking Jefferson. Across from his was an Arabic man struggling against David's grip on him. They had clearly been fighting about something and if the bruise forming on the Scotsman's eye was any indication, the Arab had gotten at least one good hit in before they were separated.

Not far off, a very pregnant, blonde girl was holding a pair of handcuffs and showing them to the doctor. Belle's eyes slid from the pregnant girl and the doctor, to the blonde mom and her son, both eyeing the handcuffs. Belle thought they looked nervous but before she could get closer, her attention was brought back to David.

"We found the transceiver," he was saying. Jefferson had let go of the angry Scot and was walking forward interestedly. Belle handed David the transceiver, who then turned it on. Everyone watched expectantly, but nothing happened.

"It's broken," Jefferson said after several tense moments.

"Can you fix it?" David asked, handing it to Jefferson. Jefferson turned it over in his hands, examining it for a second before looking back to David.

"Yeah, in a couple of hours probably."

"Excellent. Let me know when you finished."

"And what qualifies you for this?" The Scot seemed determined to antagonize everyone that day. She wondered what he had done to rile the Arab man up so much.

"Oh, do you think you could do it better?" Jefferson asked sarcastically. The Scot was undeterred, stepping forward.

"I merely wonder what your job was off this island that makes you so sure you can fix that."

"You want to know what I did for a living?" Jefferson asked as everyone watched on.

"I do believe that is what I asked," the Scot said softly.

"You first," Jefferson called his bluff. The Scot scowled but didn't say anything else. "That's what I thought."

Jefferson stalked off and Belle followed. They weren't exactly friends but he had been kind to her and she felt a strange sort of loyalty to him.

Jefferson set up shop by the plane. Belle stood by and watched as Jefferson took the thing apart or occasionally rummaged through the plane for something he needed. She watched the others when Jefferson was absorbed in his work, wondering about all of them. The Scot was building a shelter on the outskirts of the camp, taking things out of the plane as he worked. He caught her watching once and flashed her a sarcastic smile, all teeth and scorn. She looked away disinterestedly, her focus on the other passengers. The mom and her son were sitting on the beach, letting the water rush over their toes.

The pregnant girl was talking to David, the handcuffs now in his hands. They were both looking around wondering if there was a dangerous person among them. The Doctor was bending over a body doing something though Belle couldn't tell what. There was another girl lying on the beach, sunbathing of all things. A woman with a short pixie cut was talking to a nervous looking ginger man. "Noticed the other passengers, have you?" Jefferson asked, watching Belle stare at a Chinese couple further down the beach.

"It would be impossible not to," she murmured, turning her attention back to Jefferson. "How are things going?"

"Well," he said pulling a wire gently, "The good news is I have nearly fixed it. The bad news is the battery will not last long."

"Long enough for us to send a distress call?"

"I hope so. What happened in the jungle?" Jefferson asked, his eyes never leaving his work.

"We found the pilot. Alive," she added, unsure of how much she should say.

"I guess that's not the case now," Jefferson said wryly.

"Something evil is living in that jungle."

"What did the pilot say?"

Belle sighed as fear threatened to overwhelm her again. "He said that we were over six hours off course. No one knows where we are, they're looking in the wrong place."

Jefferson's hands paused as he looked up at her, looking afraid for the first time. "What?"

"No one is coming for us."

Jefferson stared off into space for a moment. "They will. We will send a distress call and will be rescued by tomorrow morning. I have to get home."

"What's back home?" She asked as he begun working determinedly again. His jaw tightened for a moment. "My daughter. Grace."  
-  
Jefferson dialed the number again, hoping for a different result. "Hello?"

"Alice? It's me."

"Do you know what time it is?" The woman hissed angrily.

"Is she still awake?"

"Jeff..."

"Let me talk to my daughter."

There was a pause on the end of the line as Alice went to get their daughter. Grace was the light of Jefferson's life and it pained him he could not see her the way he used to. The divorce had been ugly and Alice had ended up with sole custody of their only daughter. Jefferson was allowed visitation but Alice rarely granted it. She had remarried and was trying to edge him out and make her new husband a Dad to Grace. Jefferson was having none of it. If Alice wasn't going to let him see their daughter she damn well would let him talk to Grace.

"Dad?" Grace's voice came from the end. 

"Grace," he breathed, relieved. He had half expected Alice to just hang up again.

"Dad, when are you coming home?" She asked, her voice high and needy. 

"Tomorrow, I promise."

"I want to see you. I miss you. I hate it here. The caterpillar is trying to force me to call him Dad."Jefferson felt his blood boil. Grace called her step-dad the caterpillar, after a comment Jefferson had made once about how the lanky smoker his ex-wife married resembled the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. Grace had latched onto the nickname, much to her mother's displeasure.

"Don't say that, Gracie. You don't hate it there, and you don't have to call him Dad if you don't want to."

"I want to live with you. Why can't I live with you? Mom can start a new family and leave us alone."

"That's enough!" Alice snapped, taking the phone from their ten-year old. "What are you saying to her?!"

"What am I doing? What are you doing? She's miserable!" Jefferson demanded, outraged with his ex-wife. 

"She's a child. She doesn't need you filling her head with your bullshit!"

"She needs her father!"

"She has a new father. One who is there for her, one that isn't constantly gone on little trips. Stop calling, Jefferson. Let us be."

Alice hung up on him. Enraged, Jefferson threw his phone across the wall of his expensive hotel room. The battery flew out which satisfied him. If Alice thought she could shut him out she was sorely mistaken. He had some last minute business to finish up with Albert Spencer and then he would be home. He had an appointment with a very respected lawyer that worked for the prestigious Gold, Kitsiss, and Horowitz, Mr. Kitsiss. It was said the man never lost, and Jefferson needed that if he wanted to get his little Grace back. He sighed and grabbed his suit jacket and suit case. Albert Spencer first, then custody of his daughter.  
-  
"All fixed," Jefferson said. He handed it to David who motioned to turn the knob on. "Don't turn it on yet. There isn't much battery left and has no signal, but we might get one from somewhere high up. Like there." Jefferson pointed to the top a very large hill.

"We better get going," David agreed.

"Wait, I'm coming with you," Belle called, jogging after them. Sean followed along with Archie the ginger, the sunbather Ruby, the mother Emma Swan, and the Scotsman Nicholas Gold. Emma had left her son in the very capable hands of Mary Margaret, the woman with the pixie cut who revealed she was a fourth grade elementary teacher.

They were an odd group of people trekking through the jungle. David led the way with faithful Sean right behind him. Belle and Jefferson followed, both saying little. Ruby huffed slightly behind them and Belle was betting the girl was wishing she hadn't worn peep toe sandals. Archie and Emma were behind her, Emma looking serious and Archie nervous. Nicholas brought up the rear making snide comments that everyone else was ignoring.

Belle was nervous about the monster returning to kill them all. She couldn't tell if David or Sean were, they both seemed so at ease. She wondered how they achieved such an easy confidence when she herself was so nervous. She planned to ask them after they sent their signal when a loud roar came from their left. Everyone paused for a moment in time to see a huge white bear charging towards them.

"Run!" David yelled although no one needed to be told to. Belle took off as fast as she could towards a forest of tall bamboo shoots. Everyone seemed to have the same idea, the shoots were spaced far enough apart that a human could squeeze into but a large bear could not. That was assuming the bear didn't catch them went to jump over a large tree root sticking out of the ground but her foot caught it and she stumbled, falling on her face. The bear roared again and she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for claws and fangs to rip apart her skin when several gun shots rang out in front of her. She peeked an eye open and saw Nicholas standing in front of her with a gun in his hands and a dead bear at his feet.

"Your hero," he said smartly, offering her a hand. She accepted and got to her feet as the rest of the group came back, each one looking stunned.

"Are you okay?" Jefferson asked Belle, looking mildly concerned. She nodded, her eyes still locked on Nicholas's face.

"Where did you get a gun?" David asked the question everyone was thinking.

"I took it off a dead U.S. Marshal."

"Looks like we found who the handcuffs belong to," Sean piped up.

"Oh no, boy. I'm no criminal," Nicholas's eyes left Belle's, sliding over to Emma who stared him down intensely.

"Why don't you give me the gun," David suggested in a tone that wasn't really a suggestion at all. Nicholas chuckled.

"Oh I think not. Try again, Prince Charming."

"Why don't you give the gun to someone else?" Jefferson cut in quickly, trying to prevent another argument from escalating.

Gold looked at Jefferson and then flipped the gun in his hand, holding the handle out to Belle. She looked up at him for a moment, surprised, and then took it. "Don't try to shoot me dearie. You owe me." He gave her one last look and then walked past her to continue on their journey for high ground. The rest followed and Jefferson showed Belle how to disarm it before she tucked nervously into the back of her jeans. She would give it to David once they got back to the beach.

They reached the top of the high part of the island about an hour later. David handed Jefferson back the transceiver and with click, Jefferson turned it on.

"We are survivors of Oceanic flight 815, we've landed somewhere off the coast of Fiji," he said. He took his hand off the button and listened for any response. Loud static greeted them, so Jefferson tried again. "I think something is blocking the transmission," Jefferson said as he begun to fiddle with the knob. The static shifted into a man's voice and everyone froze.

"It's a man!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly.

"He's Irish. Never thought I'd be happy to hear the bloody Irish," Nicholas said, his voice more on edge than usual.

The voice was faint and the words were difficult to make out. Jefferson placed the transceiver against his ear.

"What's he saying?" Emma asked seriously.

Jefferson was pale and serious. "He's saying, I'm alone now, I'm on the island alone. Please someone come. The others are...the others are dead. It killed them. It killed them all." He listened for another moment, his hands shaking the entire time.

"Is that all he said?" David asked, his face just as pale. Jefferson nodded. The all shared a collective look of fear.

"Guys," Emma asked, "Where are we?


	3. Chapter 3

Emma Swan and Henry Mills were walking down a gravel road through the Australian country side. Henry was holding his big book of fairy tales close to his chest concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. Emma watched him, her hands stuffed in her pocket, feeling guilty. This was no life for a ten-year old boy, constantly on the run, sleeping in barns and stealing from strangers. He should be in school with friends, playing sports and starting to notice girls.

Emma was a fugitive. A year ago Henry had shown up on her door, claiming to be the child she gave up for adoption nine years earlier. Emma had resisted at first, sending him back to his sociopathic mom, but keeping in touch with the boy. She had said, at first, she just wanted to be sure he was happy. Once she got to know him she couldn't stay away. Regina had informed Emma, near Henry's tenth birthday, that she and Henry would be moving and would not be sending a forwarding address, making Emma spring into action. It was impulsive and rash and selfish, but she stole him away in the middle of the night.

That had been a year ago. Henry would be eleven soon and they would still be running. Henry would spend his whole life on the run, missing key experiences, first kisses, dates, loves. Emma was starting to think turning herself in was the best course of action. Even if Regina was awful, she was stable and Henry deserved that.

A truck driving down the road stopped, an elderly man rolling down the window. "You two need a ride some place?"

Henry automatically shook his head; he had learned not to trust strangers."No thanks," Emma said, smiling. 

"I can't let you and the boy walk. Come on, I insist."

Emma looked at Henry's hopeful face. He was clearly tired and it seemed cruel to make him keep walking.

"Sure," she said, opening the door for Henry to climb in. She followed behind him, taking one last quick look around. They would be fine for now, but they weren't staying. They never could.  
-  
"What we heard on that transmission stays between us," David said after a long, punctuated silence. Nicholas snorted and turned to head back to camp, clearly uninterested in anything David had to say. Archie moved to follow him but David caught up quickly, effectively stopping them both.

"We make a pact, for now, not to tell them."

"And why would I agree to that?"

"It would take away their hope," Belle said softly, wishing she could be on the beach with everyone else now, blissful in her ignorance.

Nicholas stared at her for a long moment before making a decision. "Whatever you say, Charming. You're the leader." Nicholas stepped around David and went back to walking. Everyone else nodded in agreement and followed. This time Belle dragged behind, too lost in her thoughts to try and make conversation with these strangers. They were going to die here if no rescue ever came. Die, surrounded by people they didn't know, on a polar bear infested island.

Halfway back to the beach Archie spoke up for the first time, jolting Belle out of her melancholy."What will we do with the gun?"

Belle paused, having forgotten that she had it. She didn't like how all eyes turned to her.

"What's wrong with Belle holding onto it?" Jefferson asked tersely, his stance becoming defensive.

"Uh, because we know nothing about her," Ruby interjected. "How do we know she's not the prisoner?"

"I'm not the prisoner," Belle said quickly.

"Belle was sitting next to me on the plane, she's not the prisoner," David spoke in her defense. Belle took the gun out and moved to hand it to David but Nicholas stopped her.

"Oh no you don't, dearie. You hold on to that."

"How can we know she's trustworthy?" Archie asked. The whole conversation was making Belle slightly miserable. She didn't want any of this.

"She's a librarian, not a member of Hells Angels!" Jefferson said angrily. "We can't trust anyone but I'd rather the librarian have the gun than the stuttering ginger, superficial sun bather, or psychotic Scotsman. No offense." He tacked on the last bit with a wide, fake smile. The mood was tense for a moment before Nicholas began chuckling.

"None taken."

"Belle keeps the gun," David said, his tone final.

"Smartest thing you've said," Nicholas said, his tone still light. Belle shifted her weight nervously and followed after him when he began walking to the beach.

"Why did you want me to keep the gun?" She asked, falling into step with the man. He shot her a sideways glance and Belle felt like he had a measure of her.

"Don't get excited, you are merely the best option out of this collection of morons."

It was insulting and rude, and she didn't know why it made her laugh. It surprised them both, Nicholas jumping slightly and Belle clamping her hand over her mouth. They didn't say anything else, and Belle didn't consider Nicholas a friend by any stretch of the imagination but she liked him a little better than she had before they left.  
-  
Emma and Henry had stayed with the farmer, Max, for the last three months. Max had insisted Emma and Henry stay for the night, and then the next, and then had offered her a job working on his farm. He paid her well and it offered Henry some stability at least for the time being. Emma wanted to save enough money to get them out of Australia and on to somewhere else. She had enough now so it was time to go. Part of her regretted this decision, Henry had become very close to the aging farmer, but they had already stayed too long. People were looking for them and staying any longer made it easier for them to be found.

She snuck into the house once everyone was in bed to retrieve the money she kept hidden in a coffee can in the pantry. It was all there, enough money for a plane ticket to Europe and food and lodging for a month if they were careful. 

"Leaving?" Max's voice startled Emma. She clutched the money guiltily in her hand, unsure of what to say. 

"I, uh," she said eloquently. 

"I had hoped you would at least tell me good-bye, Katie."

Katie. Emma flinched at the lie, her guilt threatening to overwhelm her. Everything she had told Max had been a lie, starting with her name. 

"I'm sorry," Emma hung her head, wishing he hadn't caught her.

"Won't you at least let me drive you and Josh to the train station tomorrow morning?"

Emma shook her head no. Something in her gut was telling her it was time to leave now. "You don't have to do that, we'll be fine walking."

"Katie, it is too late to make little Josh walk to the train. Let me drive you. Do this for an old man."

She still felt uneasy which she chocked up to a year on the run. Max had proven himself to be trustworthy. Henry didn't need to walk, Max was right about that. Emma nodded yes and allowed the man to hug her. Max was the kindest man she had ever met. Someday, she decided, as she climbed the stairs to her room, she would find a way to repay him.   
-  
Something was very wrong when they got back to the beach. The doctor was waiting for them, his face grim.

"How did it go?" He asked. Nicholas scoffed and walked off and Archie and Ruby went in the other direction. Emma, who had been mostly silent, found her son, leaving Belle with Sean, Jefferson, and the doctor.

"Good," David lied as moaning met their ears. Everyone who hadn't been on the beach earlier paused, listening to the agonizing noise coming out of another human being.

"I found the U.S. Marshal. He's alive, but only just...and he wants to speak to you."

Belle and Jefferson walked back to where they had slept, leaving David with the doctor.

"Looks like we're going to find out who those handcuffs belong to," Jefferson commented, plopping down in the sand.

"Who do you think it is?" Belle asked her eyes sweeping over the castaways quickly.

"Honestly, my bet is on Gold."

"Really?" Belle didn't agree with that. It was true that Nicholas had been nothing but antagonistic from the moment they crashed, but she got the feeling that was his actual personality. She looked at Jefferson again, noting the thin scar starting to form on his neck from the injury he had sustained in the crash. Could he be the prisoner?

"Well, he's hiding something, at any rate," Jefferson was watching the Scot again carefully.

"Aren't we all?" It was more of an off-hand comment than anything else but it gave her Jefferson's full attention. He regarded her carefully, his eyes thoughtful.

"I suppose so."

"He's going to tell them," Henry was anxiously filling his mother in on the events that had transpired since she left. The U.S. Marshal was awake and talking. The doctor, Peter, had quarantined him from everyone else once it became clear that the man was dying and in excruciating pain. They had used a tarp and piece of the plane wreckage to make a little room where no one could see the man, but it didn't block out the noise.

Henry had watched the entire thing with a sense of building horror, especially when the doctor had spent a long time in the room with the dying marshal. Emma looked towards the room, also nervous. She didn't want to find out what would happen when everyone found out she was the one the handcuffs belonged to, especially if the Marshal told David and the doctor just what exactly her crimes were.

"It's going to be okay," Emma reassured him. She and Henry were skilled runners. Worst case scenario, they'd leave the group of survivors and make camp somewhere else. No one was coming for them, her only saving grace now.

"No it won't! They'll arrest you and send me back and I don't want to go!" Henry's voice was elevating to a dangerous level. Ashley, the pregnant girl, and Ruby, both looked over at them curiously. Emma dropped to her knee in front of Henry.

"No, they won't. I promise they won't but you need to calm down, okay?"

Henry nodded and took several deep breaths. It was cruel, but the marshal was going to die, sooner rather than later if his moans were any indication. If he told David and the doctor, Emma would explain and hope they told no one else. If no one was coming for them, then this was Emma's chance at a fresh start. No more running, because there was nowhere else to go.  
-  
The drive was quiet. Henry was sulking in between her and Max as Emma stared out the window. This is why she didn't stay anywhere this long. She was going to miss him and Henry would miss him more.

She snapped to attention when a black SUV caught up with them. She wondered if it was her deep-seated paranoia that made her worry until she saw Max nervously checking his rear view mirror. Something was wrong. Next to her, Henry wiggled in his seat, trying to get a better look at the car without appearing to do so. The black SUV suddenly swerved into the opposite lane, pulling up next to the passenger side of the truck. Emma looked over and saw the U.S. Marshal that had been chasing her for the last year, Matthew Hordor, roll down his window. Her stomach dropped as she watched the man form a gun with his thumb and index finger and pretend to shoot her. 

The SUV dropped back behind them as an oncoming car approached. "How long have you known?" Emma asked, feeling both defeated and betrayed. If they had left the night before, like she wanted to, none of this would be happening.

"A week," Max said. To his credit, he looked miserable. "Your picture was in the post office."

"How much were they offering?" Emma asked shrewdly.

"A hundred thousand."

Emma wanted to plead with him, but there was no point. Hordor was here and he was going to take her boy. It was over. She'd be thrown in prison and Regina would take Henry away from her forever. 

"I'm really sorry, Josh...or...Henry, I guess," Max said.

Henry nodded. 

"So am I." Before anyone could react, Henry grabbed the steering wheel and yanked hard, causing the truck to veer sharply off the road. The SUV behind clipped them, sending the truck tumbling down a steep hill. 

"Henry!" Emma screamed the moment they stopped tumbling. The truck was smoking and she could smell gas. "Henry!"

"I'm fine Mom," Henry responded. He had a cut under on his forehead but otherwise appeared to be fine. 

Emma breathed a sigh of relief and shimmied out of the broken window, pulling Henry out after her. The boy immediately began to run through the brush but Emma paused. Max was still inside the truck, unconscious 

"What are you doing?" Henry demanded, watching him Mom go to the other side of the truck and begin pulling the man out. Henry groaned when he saw a beaten up Hordor rushing down the hill alone. He reached Emma right as she had Max's body safely out of the smoking truck.

Hordor punched Emma once for good measure before clamping the handcuffs on her wrist 

"Why did you do that?" Hordor asked in her ear. "You would have escaped if you left him there."

Emma didn't respond but her blue eyes flashed angrily. She saved him because he had been good to her and Henry, and he deserved to live. Hordor hauled her to her feet once he had secured Henry.

"Let's get you two back home."  
-  
It was night fall and everyone was gathered around the fire, whispering. The Marshal was moaning again, loudly. The doctor was sitting outside the tent with his head in his hands.

"This is ridiculous," Ruby complained without compassion. "That man needs medicine."

"And where do you propose we get that from, princess?" Nicholas snapped. The dying U.S. Marshal was bad for morale as everyone knew it could easily be them next in that tent, dying a slow, agonizing death. Belle shifted further from Jefferson, uncomfortable with the thought.

David, who had been inside the tent, came out with a somber face. Belle watched as he whispered something to Emma and then led her to the tent. Belle herself got up after making sure the gun was safely hidden in her carry-on bag that she had found earlier in the wreckage. She needed a moment of walked into the tent with Henry at her feet. "You should let her do this alone," David said, stopping Henry. Henry looked to Emma, who nodded, and stayed. Inside Emma found Hordor lying under a thin sheet, sweating profusely. There was an unfamiliar smell of something putrid and rotting and realized that it must be coming from him.

His dark eyes were open and blood-shot but focused on her.

"Come here," he coughed. Emma hesitated for the briefest of moments before going to his side. "I have to ask you something."

"Okay," she said once she was close.

"Why did you save his life? Why not keep running? He turned you in," Hordor coughed violently through his question, blood staining his lips. It was becoming too much for Emma.

"Because he took care of us," she said simply. She rose to get up but Hordor caught her wrist with surprising force.

"Kill me. Please."

Tears stung at Emma's eyes as she tried to keep it together. "I can't. I'm sorry."

She yanked her wrist out of his grasp and fled, running into David on her way out.

"Emma, wait," he said. She quickly wiped away her tears.

"What?"

He handed her a folded up white piece of paper. When she unfolded it she saw a picture of her with her listed crimes underneath.

"Do you want to know what I did?" She asked, but David shook his head no.

"Everyone here gets a clean start. Even you."

She nodded a thank you, tears threatening to overwhelm her, and walked off. As she moved past Archie and Ruby, Ruby called out to her.

"What did he want?"

Emma couldn't tell her the truth so she responded, "He wanted me to kill him."

Belle thought she was alone. She had practically run down the beach until she was a far enough distance from the moaning. She stepped into the warm water and closed her eyes, letting the noise the ocean made fill her senses.

"Nice night for a swim."

Belle spun so fast she lost her bearing and fell backwards in the water. Immediately strong arms grabbed her and lifted her out of the water. Another swell washed around them and they fell onto the sand.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Nicholas Gold said, looking down at her. Belle half choked, half laughed at his surprise as she pushed her wet hair out of her face.

"It's okay."

His hair was wet, too, as was his clothing. "Sorry, I followed you. The noises that man makes..." Nicholas tried to look indifferent but even in the dark Belle could tell he was just as bothered by it.

"Yeah. Just needed some quiet." Nicholas nodded and for a moment they sat there until a gun shot rang through the air. Belle jumped up, scared half to death, Nick staring at her wide-eyed.

"Belle, where is the gun?"

"I left it back at camp," she said. He groaned and the two ran towards camp. When they got there they found a terrified looking Archie holding the gun while the doctor shouted, "Well you missed! You pierced his lung; it will take hours before he bleeds out!"

"I was trying to end his suffering," Archie said miserably. Belle moved towards the red-head but Nick caught her hand, holding her in place. She felt bad for Archie but Nick clearly didn't. Nick looked horrified and angry.

"You don't need to associate with him. Not tonight."

The doctor went into the tent and Archie dropped the gun which David picked up. Belle and Nick separated, and she joined Jefferson back at their spot.

Neither of them said anything but she felt strangely comforted just being next to him.

Moments later the moaning stopped and the doctor walked out looking grim, tears running down his face.

"He's dead" he said, walking away. Jefferson put a hand on Belle's arm, both looking at a crying Archie. Though the doctor never said what he had to do, everyone knew.

They all knew at any point they could be next.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to my first ever reviewer on this site!!!

Gold stepped nervously out of his rental car and onto the sidewalk. In front of his was a small white house, surrounded by a white picket fence. Yellow tulips decorated either side of a path leading from the white gate to the door to the house. The lawn was bright green and immaculately kept. He had never seen this house before, had only an address that had taken him months and thousands of dollars to find. 1523 Rosegarden Lane. Australia. The place where his estranged son Baley had carved himself a life. Gold had not seen the boy since he was twelve years old, though not from a lack of trying. His wife had taken his son to this country after their divorce and had moved around so much it had been impossible to ever see the boy. It had only been in the last year that Gold had begun his search again in earnest, travelling to the country to see the boy. He didn't have much hope that Baley would want to see him, or have anything to say to him, but Gold, the consummate coward, had to try.

He opened the gate and trod up the path, leaning heavily on his cane. When he reached the door he paused, suddenly too afraid to go through with this. This was a bad idea,idea; Baley wouldn't want to see him. He turned, preparing to leave when the door opened. A pretty woman with reddish brown hair stood there smiling.

"Can I help you?" She asked, her Australian accent making her voice even prettier.

"I-uh...I..." His heart was pounding violently in his chest. Her brown eyes were warm and inviting as she waited patiently. A small child, no older than three, came running behind her at full speed.

"Mamamamamamamamamamamamamama mamaaaaaaaaa!" The boy said rapidly. Gold's eyes slid from the pretty woman to the boy. He had a mop of curly brown hair and large brown eyes. The woman bent down and scooped him up in her arms.

"Nicholas!" She scolded. Gold's heart leapt into his mouth at the name. "What has mummy told you about interrupting when she's talking?"

"But look!" He said, holding out a finger for her to inspect. The woman looked down at his finger and then back up at Gold. "It's a booboo! Kiss it! Kiss it! Kissssssittttt!"

She kissed his finger and then looked back at Gold as the younger Nicholas squirmed out of his mother's arms and took off running the moment his feet hit the ground.

"I'm here looking for Baley," Gold finally said. He had no other choice but to ask to see him, now that he had been caught.

"Baley?" Her face went tight with pain. "Who are you?"

"His father...Nicholas Gold," Gold told her nervously. She put a hand to her mouth as she realized who he was. "I've been looking for him for a long time."

"Oh...did Lorne not tell you?" She asked. Gold's heart, once so full of hope, dropped sickly into his stomach.

"Tell me what?" His ex-wife hadn't spoken to him in years.

"Baley died six months ago. Baley is dead."  
-  
"Son of a bitch!" Jefferson shouted. Belle's eyes jerked opened to see Jefferson chasing a boar out of the fusel lodge.

"What happened?" David asked, jogging over.

"Boars are eating the bodies," Jefferson said angrily. "We can't leave them here anymore. Something more dangerous than Boars will be after them next."

"What do you suggest we do then?" David asked a little defensively.

"We need to burn it."

"We can't burn it!" Ashley cut in, her hand resting on her very pregnant stomach. "What about the families of the people in there?"

"No one has come in four days!" Jefferson told her, avoiding the important issue about how no one was coming at all. "We have to think about our own well-being right now."

"I agree with Jefferson," David said, cutting off whatever Ashley was going to say. "We'll do it when it gets dark tonight."

"Well, can we at least have a memorial for them?" Ashley asked a little timidly.

"A memorial?" Jefferson said blankly.

"You know...say something nice about the dead? I think it would be...nice."

"That's a great idea Ashley. I'll leave that in your capable hands," David told her. Ashley beamed and walked off, leaving Jefferson alone with David.

"There is another problem," Jefferson told him. "We have run out of food."

"That is a problem," David agreed.

"We could always kill one of those pesky boars," Gold had snuck up during their conversation, though it had not been intentional.

"What do you know about hunting?" Jefferson asked, his eyes narrowed.

"I'd wager a lot more than you do," Gold challenged, always the antagonist.

"Can you track a boar?" David asked him seriously.

"Aye," Gold nodded.

"I can help," Belle stood up, joining their conversation. All three men stopped to stare at Belle.

"You? What help can you be?" Gold asked her, his tone more curious than condescending.

"My papa taught me how to track, hunt, that sort of thing," she shrugged. David exchanged a look with Jefferson and then shrugged.

"I don't see why not. Two are better than one."

"Okay, princess," Gold agreed after a moment.

"How do you plan on killing the boar, once you catch it?" Jefferson asked after a moment. Belle and David both looked at Gold, interested in the answer. Gold smirked and walked off to his little hut, coming back out with a suitcase Belle was certain did not belong to him. He unzipped it, revealing a multitude of large hunting knives.

"Looks like someone fashioned themselves a bit of a huntsman. We'll go in an hour."

Belle nodded, walking over to Jefferson.

"Going on a hunting expedition with the psycho Scot?" He asked, his tone light.

"Someone had to," she responded as he went over to his workshop.

"I want you to take this with you," he told her, handing her an antenna. "This will help triangulate the signal of the Irish man's signal." 

"You want to know where it's coming from?" She asked, curious.

"Of course I do. If there are others out there, I want to know. Attach it to a tree, all right?"

She nodded, taking the antenna and the equipment she would need to attach it to the tree.  
-  
"What happened?" Gold asked brokenly, looking down at the cup of tea Morraine, Baley's widow, had given him.

Morraine looked down at her own cup, shaking her head. "I don't know. They never found his body, just his car."

Gold exhaled loudly. "Where?"

"At the bottom of the river. They...they think his body must have been thrown from the car, the windshield was shattered. But they never found his body."

"So...so he could still be alive?"

Morraine shook her head. "He...he wouldn't have just left, he loved our son more than anything."

Gold nodded, his cup rattling on the saucer due to his shaking hands. He set it down on a glass coffee table. "And the boy...?"

"He doesn't understand. He keeps asking where daddy is. He named him after you. He always spoke so fondly of you, he never said anything but kind things. He didn't know where to look for you, or he would have. Lorne would never tell him where you were."

Gold nodded. It was good to know, even if it was too late. His son was dead, lost to him forever, but here with his widow and son he could start to make things right.

"Morraine...I know...I mean, being a single parent must behard-" She put a hand up.

"Please. We are doing fine."

"Let me help you, and my grandson. Please."

Morraine nodded as Gold pulled out a checkbook and wrote out a large sum. "I don't have anyone else in my life," he explained as he handed her. Her eyes widened at the number and she tried to hand it back, but he refused. "I have no family. Just you, and little Nicholas. Please."

She nodded again, setting the check down on the table next to the sofa. "Family should stick together."  
-  
"Tell me princess, what did your father do that would prompt him to teach his daughter how to hunt and track?" Gold asked Belle as they trekked through the jungle. Emma Swan was also accompanying them for no other reason than she wanted to.

"He was a military man," Belle told him. "My mother died when I was young and he didn't know what else to do with me."

"I wouldn't either," Gold muttered, bending over to check the brush. Belle was letting him take the lead on this while surreptitiously making sure he wasn't leading them in circles.

"I've never done much hunting," Emma said, making conversation with Belle.

"Oh? It's not for everyone."

Emma shrugged and they lapsed back into silence. Gold was too focused on tracking the boar and Belle and Emma didn't know what to say to each other.

"Look!" Gold said after a while, pointing to a boar. It was small, a baby.

"We need to get out of here," Belle warned, but Gold and Emma ignored, approaching the boar. "Guys, that's a baby."

"So?" Emma asked.

"So, the mom is around here somewhere, and she'll be pissed when she sees us."

Gold and Emma had turned around to respond to Belle when, just as Belle had predicted, the mother came charging out the brush straight at Emma. The baby, several feet away from them, ran off as the mama hit Emma hard. Gold managed to clip the boar with his knife, but not wound it enough before it ran off. Emma was hurt, and Gold was obviously itching to go after the boar.

"I'll take her back," Belle said before Gold could speak, irritated with them both. Gold was likely to get himself killed out there, and Belle couldn't bring herself to care. The man seemed like he had a death wish and she didn't want to stick around to let him hurt her as well.

Emma slung an arm over Belle's shoulder and the two women began to make their way towards the beach. Belle still had Jefferson's antenna that needed to be placed in a tree, but she wanted to put some distance between her and the boars before leaving Emma alone on the ground.

"So...you have a son?" Belle asked after the silence became too much. Everyone else was forming friendships on the island it seemed, except her. She had a tentative alliance with Gold, and might be friends with Jefferson, but outside of that she didn't really know anyone.

Emma looked at her like she was crazy. "Yeah. Henry."

"What a lovely name," Belle smiled. She was crashing and burning here, but she was going to keep trying. "How ever did you pick it?"

Emma froze for a fraction of a second, just long enough for Belle to know that she had stepped on a nerve. She sighed. Making friends was not one of her strong suits, she supposed. That was why she had always preferred books to people.

"I need to get in this tree," Belle said after more tense minutes of walking.

"I'll be fine," Emma said, slumping down the base of the tree. Belle pulled her hair into a messy pony tail,tail; made sure the equipment was tucked securely into her pants, and then began climbing up the tree.

"Of course you will," Belle muttered when she was high enough up she was sure Emma couldn't hear. She felt a little bad, but Belle was genuinely trying, and she felt like every time she did, she crashed and burned. She almost missed Garrett. If he were here he could get to know everyone for her, just as he had in their life before this island. Belle didn't have to do anything but stand there and look pretty.

"And I hated it," she reminded herself as she began attaching the antenna. It should have been routine. Attach the antenna and then climb down and let Jefferson know it was done, and it would have happened if it weren't for a familiar noise she had come to fear and dread. Clicking and roaring, the sound of the jungle monster. In her fear, Belle dropped the antenna. She watched, horrified, as it crashed on the ground next to Emma. It appeared and Belle froze, watching what appeared to be a pillar of smoke race past her like a freight train. She hoped Gold had the good sense to get out of it's way.

"What was that?" Emma asked when Belle jumped down to the ground.

"No idea," Belle said honestly. She picked up the broken pieces and with Emma, began to head back to the beach.

When they arrived, Belle left Emma in the capable hands of Dr. Whale, and then went to find Jefferson and deliver the bad news about his antenna. Before she got to him, David intercepted her.

"Where is Gold?"

"He went off on his own to find the boar," Belle told him. "Emma got hurt so I brought her back."

David wasn't listening to her anymore. He was staring over her shoulder at something. When she turned to look, she didn't see anything. "Did you see that?" He asked her.

"See what? David?" David began running off after something, something only he could see, and Belle didn't bother chasing him. Mary Margaret had that covered.

"David!" Mary Margaret shouted. David ignored her, trying to find where the man in the suit had gone. Not man-his brother. He had seen his twin brother James standing in a suit off to the side of the beach, watching him.

"David!" Mary Margaret had finally caught up to him. Someone was walking,walking; he could hear the crunching of feet approaching them. David held his breath,breath; sure he was going to see James. Instead Gold appeared, a boar slung over his back.

"Dinner," Gold said dryly at their stunned expressions. He dropped the boar at David's feet and continued walking the path to the beach. David looked back into the jungle, but he knew James was gone. He considered, as he lifted up the boar, seeing Dr. Whale about hallucinations, but quickly decided against it. He wouldn't worry about it unless it kept happening.  
-  
Gold had stayed for a week before something seemed off. He understood Morraine was young, and had an even younger son to look after, but she seemed entirely too cheerful for a girl who had lost her husband six months earlier. He didn't want to questions it, Lord knew he could attest that everyone grieved differently, but her son never asked about his dad, and rarely came when she called him by his name. He didn't come to Gold at all, and Gold assumed it was some kind of shyness he had yet to witness from the boy.

He had given Morraine a lot of money. It had felt good, at first, to help family. He had not been lying when he said he had no family. He had spent his entire life looking for his son, and in the end had been too late. He wanted to take care of Morraine and his grandson, make sure they never wanted for anything. He didn't want Morraine to struggle as a single mother, the way his had when he was young. He had urged her to quit and just that morning Morraine finally had, coming home with a smile on her face and a bottle of wine in her hand. She was sending Nicholas off to stay with her mother, and Gold was planning a visit to Lorne. Morraine would get some much needed alone time, perhaps even some time to grieve.

As he drove to Lorne's home, an address that had been surprisingly easy to look up, he considered that Morraine was one of those women who could always put on a bright face, despite her inside sorrow. He could respect that. He had never been good at putting on a brave face, instead lashing out in order to make others feel his pain. Time with Morraine and Nicholas might do some good, help heal old wounds. He had enough money, between his law practice and antique business, to retire now and live out his days here. Australia was beautiful, and it was close to this new family.

He had almost decided on it when he pulled up to Lorne's house. It was a far cry from the quaint home Baley and Morraine had, and nothing compared to the lonely mansion he himself resided in, but respectable in a dilapidated sort of way.

He knocked sharply and then waited. Lorne answered, looking surprised to see him. Time had not been kind to her. Her hair was lank and streaked with grey in an unattractive way, her roots entirely silver. Her once pretty brown eyes were lack luster and surrounded by dark circles, and when she frowned he noticed deep lines. She had been such a pretty woman, what had happened?

"Nicholas. What are you doing here?" She didn't seem surprised to see him.

"Why didn't you tell me Baley died?" He demanded angrily, shifting his weight slightly. Lorne looked at him in disbelief for a moment and then began laughing;, a cackling, raspy sound.

"Why don't you come in?"

He was torn between striking her and having her committed. She thought the death of their only son was funny? He followed her in but refused to sit on any of her furniture. Her home reeked of cats and cigarette smoke, an altogether unappealing smell when mixed together.

"Who told you Baley was dead?" Lorne asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Morraine told me. How could you not tell me? I know things ended badly, but he was my son too."

She nodded for a moment and then pulled the cigarette out of her mouth. "Baley isn't dead, Nick."

He stood there for a moment, stunned. "What?"

"He's not dead."

"Of course he is, she told me-"

"Morraine lied. I can prove it." She walked over to her purse and fished out a cell phone. He watched as she flipped it open and then handed it to him. "From today."

There were text messages from a number labeled "Bay", asking if she needed anything from the store, dated that day.

"Why...why would she tell me he was dead?" He sunk down on the disgusting smelling sofa, not caring about his suit.

Lorne watched, unconcerned for his pain. "You never were very smart, for a smart man. What's she telling you that boy's name is?"

"Nicholas."

Lorne burst out laughing again. "Nicholas. Ain't that cute? No, his name is Cameron. Amazed he hasn't told you so himself, that boy loves telling anyone who will listen what his name is. Nicholas. Look. Morraine and Baley...he married her young... They got themselves into some kind of finacinalfinancial trouble and the only way out is money. Lots of it. You spent your whole life looking for the boy, and suddenly there he is? You think that was coincidence?"

"He could have just asked. I would have given it to him," Gold said, feeling much older than his forty years.

"Well, I don't think Baley likes you very much."

"Because you kept him from me," Gold hissed, venom in his voice. Lorne put her hand up.  
"I know. I had to run with him. Do you think, with all the money you had, that a court would ever have given me custody? No, you would have walked in with one of your lawyer buddies and had that boy taken from me and I know I have not done many good things with my life, but he is one of those good things."

"I wouldn't have kept him from you!" Gold was close to shouting. Lorne looked defeated herself now.

"You would have. Neither of us should ever had been parents, we were never meant to be. Too selfish. I tried my best with Baley, and he was good for a while, but then he got some girl pregnant and landed her in jail, and now he's stealing money from his own father. I wasn't a good mother. I tried to be, but I wasn't."

"I wanted to be a father. It was the only thing I ever wanted."

"Well, go find yourself some tart and get her pregnant. Try again. Let me know if it turns out any better for you, but I doubt it will. You can't raise kids and work eighty hours a week, and spend the hours you're not working tinkering with your antiques."

Gold just looked at her, and for a moment he could see the girl he had fallen in love with. Time had made Lorne hard, but hadn't it done the same to him? Was he really any better?

"Where is he?" He asked. Lorne shrugged.

"I don't see him much, only when he needs something or he thinks I haven't eaten in a while. I'll tell him you came by, and that he should go home. Morraine is probably missing him."

Gold stood and nodded. "I'd like to see him at least once, even if he hates me." He went to the door to leave. She opened her mouth, and he hesitated, but then she closed it and he left. There was nothing they could say to each other, it had been too long. Too much had happened between them. He would always love that girl he had fallen in love with, but time had made him bitter. His son had conned him.

In a way, it felt fitting.  
-  
"You actually killed the boar." Belle French pulled the flap back on his hut and walked in, plopping down next to him.

"Can I help you with something, princess?"

"I can't make friends," she said, looking up at him with wide blue eyes.

"And you thought you'd come ask the master?" He replied sarcastically. He took stock of the girl sitting on the sandy tarp in his hut. She was small, petite really, no more than five feet, with thick brown curls and blue eyes that made him want to be nice to her. Almost.

"No...I thought I'd try and make friends with the dragon. No one likes you, you know," she told him honestly.

"They don't like you either," he retorted, stung a little by her words. She shook her head.

"That's not true. They don't trust me, there is a difference."

"Well, hanging around me isn't going to endear you to the masses. Why don't you go run along with the mad scientist?"

She hung her head. "I think he's upset with me. I broke his antenna."

Gold chuckled at her obvious shame. She was too easy, this little lamb. "Well, you don't have to go home, as they say. But you can't stay here."

She looked up at him. "Don't you want a friend? You helped me out of the water, remember? When I fell?"

"Is that the basis for friendship in Australia?"

"Never mind," she sighed, starting to get up. She looked so dejected that as she passed him he caught her wrist lightly in his hand, stopping her. She looked down at his hand and he immediately dropped her wrist, waiting until her eyes met his.

"All right princess. I'll make you a deal. You can stay if you do something for me."

"What?" She asked warily.

"Read to me."

"Read to you?" She repeated uncertainly.

"Do you have difficulty hearing? Yes, read to me. I lost my glasses when we crashed, and when I read it gives me a head ache. Read to me and I'll let you stay and hide away from the mad scientist."

"And I can stay?"

"Forever, if you want."

She settled back down as he handed her a book. "Forever. Okay. 'Once Upon A Time..'"...'"

Gold relaxed into the make shift chair he had made and closed his eyes. It had been a while since he had been alone with a woman, even longer since he had just enjoyed their company. He knew, had he met Belle out in the real world he would not have given her the time of day. She was too quiet, too timid, too worried about everyone else around her to ever have been of any use to him. Here though, there was something comforting about her. She didn't seem like she was hiding some kind of major secret like the rest of them did, himself included. She was, as he had been told, a librarian. She liked to be around books, to read. Her presence was soothing, and if things got any worse she would be a good ally. Maybe here, on this island, this was his fresh start. Wasn't he walking without the help of cane for the first time in years? That was nothing short of miraculous. Tonight, when David burned the bodies in the fusel lodge they would burn with it his cane. The cane that represented his old life, his failures and weaknesses. He could stay here, make ana new life, have allies, even friends if he wanted them. He could redeem himself.  
-  
Baley was waiting for him when he finally showed back up the next day. Morraine and her son, Cameron, were conspicuously absent. He didn't want to face his son, try and explain why he had been missing, or listen to Baley tell him that he respected Gold so little that he was willing to let his wife steal from him.

"Dad," Baley said when Gold walked in.

"Baley." Despite everything, it was a relief to know his son wasn't dead. "You're alive."

"Do you want your money back?" Baley asked, brushing a dark strand of hair out of his face. Gold shook his head.

"No, you keep it. I...I would have given it to you, if you had asked. I would have given you anything."

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?" Baley's tone was bitter, his face angry. "I'm sorry I lied, but only because I got caught. This is not an invitation into my life, or my son's life. We don't want you here."

It would have been a lie to say he didn't expect the words, but it didn't make them hurt any less. "Yes. Yes, I'll go."

Baley didn't move to see him out, so Gold let himself back out and into his car. He couldn't help the tears that slipped out of his eyes as he replayed Baley's words again. He had been so close to the family he had always wanted only to have it cruelly snatched away from him. His son wanted nothing to do with him, his daughter- in- law had lied to him;, manipulated him, used his grandson as a pawn to get what she wanted. Gold wanted to be angry with them, but he could only be angry with himself.

After a long moment he brushed away the tears and pulled out his phone, making a quick call to the airport, booking the next flight home to Los Angeles. He had a voicemail from his assistant about a girl who wanted to come in and see him to have a book appraised. It took his mind off of his heart break. Work always did. He didn't have anything else in his life, just his work. He would see the girl and her book, and all the girls after her and their books as well, until the work eventually killed him. He pictured his funeral, him lying in a casket, surrounded by empty chairs. For the first time in his life he realized he was absolutely, completely alone in this life. No amount of money would ever change that.  
-  
Ashley had managed to collect something from each body in the fusel lodge, mostly driver's licenses, but it was still enough to say something respectful about the dead, even if it was just that they were an organ donor, or had brown eyes. Belle and Gold had come to pay their respects, mostly at Belle's insistence.

"Wouldn't you want everyone to do the same for you?" She had asked, her blue eyes so innocent. He would, he decided, and so he went. It was a dark, cool night, made bright by the large fire burning. Everyone was there, listening to Ashley, all contemplative. Jefferson stood nearby, his eyes darting over to Belle every so often. Gold knew he wasn't angry with the girl as it was an impossibility. She wasn't the kind that people stayed mad at long, and her intentions had been good, from what she had told him. They would be back to being tent buddies in no time, her friendship with Gold all but forgotten. It pained him a little to think about so he shoved the thought aside. He could be nice to her, only her, if she would continue to read to him. She could sleep in his tent tonight,tonight; he would make her a little pallet and give her one of the blankets he had taken, and a pillow. He had seen her sleeping up against a log near their fire pit, which could not be comfortable. He would make her comfortable and maybe she would stay around, or at least keep coming back.

As Ashley wrapped up, Belle slid her hand into his and squeezed. He looked down at their joined hands and then at her before she released his hand. "I know this is a little crazy," she told him as they walked slowly back to his tent, "But out here, we're sort of a little family. Don't you think?"

His first reaction was to snap at her, to tell her no, but she was earnest in her words. She really believed they could and would all band together and survive together, as a family. That a group of total strangers, none of whom would ever have crossed paths, could become friends, could fall in love, could become family. He looked around and he saw it, David, Emma, Henry, and Mary Margaret all laughing with each other. Ruby and Archie stepping carefully around the attraction they felt for each other. Ashley sitting next to Sean, her hand resting on her swollen belly. Him and Belle sitting in his tent, the flap flipped up as he listened to her read to him. It hadn't been a week and yet people were happy. He knew if they were rescued tomorrow he would want to see Belle again, even if he would never admit it out loud.

"Family. I suppose so."

For the first time, he felt hopeful.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back on track. Had some family issues but everything is good and updates will be more regular.
> 
> I really love writing this story.

Even at the age of eight, David Nolan knew he didn't want to be a farmer. His father had been giving him more responsibility and David resented it. He resented everything about the farm that kept him busy from the moment he got home until it was time for bed, leaving him no time to see his friends. David kicked over a metal bucket sullenly as he thought about all his friends having fun without him. What was the point of having friends if he was never allowed to see them? Ignoring the list of chores waiting for him in the barn, David stalked off towards the edge of the property where Jack Austen lived. He had seen Jack and several other boys playing an impromptu game of baseball and he wanted in. His dad and the chores could wait an hour, David decided.

"Need one more?" David asked hopefully once he reached them. Jack looked disdainfully at David. 

"Shouldn't you be cleaning up horse poop?" Jack asked, eliciting laughs from the other boys. David scuffed his shoes angrily at Jacks words.

"No," he retorted. This only gave Jack cause to laugh more at David's expense.

"You're such a loser, Nolan. Go home to your goats."

David's hands balled into fists at his side. "We don't have goats!" 

Jack smirked and then shrugged his shoulders. "Chickens, whatever. They're the only friends you have anyway." David pounced on Jack, his fists flying through the air, striking the other boy in the face. 

"Get off!" Jack shouted, high pitched and afraid but David didn't care. He felt good as he continued to pummel the other boy who wasn't even attempting to put up a fight. One of the other boys had run off to get Jack's Dad, who was now pulling David off of Jack. 

"What is going on?!" He demanded, looking on angrily at the boys. Jack was crying and wiping blood off of his face while David stood there defiantly, not saying anything. His anger was starting to ebb as guilt crept in, but he wasn't ready to admit that yet. In the end Jack's Dad called David's dad and explained the situation. The older men had laughed it off as boys being boys, but David could tell his Dad was disappointed. David had prepared himself for his father's anger, not his disappointment which felt infinitely worse. 

"David," his father said as they walked back home. "Why did you do this?"

"I don't know," David lied. His father looked down at him sadly for a moment. 

"Son. If you let your anger control you, you will never be a leader, only a follower and worse, a slave to your emotions." 

David nodded, not understanding. "I'm sorry." "

I know you are. Go clean up before your mother finds out about this."

David ran ahead of his father, not stopping until he reached the house and the bathroom. He replayed his father's words about being a leader. He didn't want to be a leader, he just wanted off this farm.

"David!" Mary Margaret's scream jarred Belle out of sleep. "David, Sean is drowning!"

Belle scrambled up, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. She ran to the beach with others. David had already flung himself in the ocean, swimming furiously after Sean.

"Oh my God, someone else is out there!" Emma cried. Belle's eyes searched the water frantically for the second person, unaware of a person coming to stand next to her. She saw someone far out, bob to the top of the water only to disappear under again. She watched David grab a struggling Sean and head back to the beach. David was too far away to reach the other drowning person and going after them would have meant death for David as well. Still, it was hard to watch, and Belle turned away blindly, tears stinging her eyes and collided into the warm chest of Nicholas Gold.

"Oh," was all she said before crying into his shirt.

"Belle," Nick said softly, patting her back softly. "It's not the worst thing that's happened."

"Don't," Belle said angrily, pulling away. "Not today."

"You need to get used to death," Nick said with edge to his words.

"I will never get used to death," Belle said fiercely, stomping away.

"I hate to say it, but he's right." Jefferson materialized next to Belle.

"Go away," Belle said though she didn't really mean it.

"It's not even our biggest problem right now," Jefferson ignored her request for him to leave her.

"Then what is?" Belle asked, disliking how defensive she sounded.

"We're running out of water," another voice said, dropping a small case of water bottles in front of them. Belle saw it was Killian speaking, a grimace on his face. Belle had not spoken much with Killian since the plane crash. He had made camp next to the Asian girl Magnolia and brunette Anastasia. She didn't have anything against him personally, but he had a bit of an antagonistic personality and she got enough of that from Gold. Still, most of the women on the island had noticed Killian, Belle included. He would be impossible not to, he was the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. His hair was short and black and had a carefree sort of quality to it, his eyes a deep blue. He seemed to realize the effect he had on women, and lately Belle had noticed him teasing Emma Swan. Emma might have been the only woman on the planet uninterested in Killian.

Belle opened her mouth to speak but chaos erupted on the beach. Killian, Jefferson, and Belle all turned to see Emma and Mary Margaret dragging Sean out of the water as David plunged back in. Mary Margaret was shouting at David not to go to no avail.

"He'll drown out there," Killian commented, his accent coloring his words and somehow making them seem less serious.

David came back empty handed. Sean was sitting on the beach, waiting for him but David ignored his glares. Belle wondered if Sean was feeling resentful that David had been unable to save the drowning woman or if he was angry with himself that he could not. Killian and Jefferson waited for David to dry off a bit before presenting him with the case of eighteen water bottles.

"What do you want us to do?" Jefferson asked after explaining that eighteen water bottles would not be enough for the remaining passengers, even if they divided then in half

"I think we should tell everyone, and ration the water," Killian said confidently.

"Where are we going to find water?" Jefferson asked, his jaw taut with irritation.

"Let's send Pongo out. Dogs sniff out drugs and bombs all the time, surely he could find water."

"That's a ridiculous idea," Jefferson scoffed.

"David what do you want to do?"

"I don't know," David snapped, looking tired. Belle didn't blame him after listening to the bickering between Jefferson and Killian. Jefferson and Killian both paused as David stalked off, leaving Jefferson and Killian standing there dumbfounded. Killian came back first. Belle watched as he grabbed three bottles, salute Jefferson, and then head back to his piece of the beach with Anastasia and Magnolia.

"Want one?" Jefferson asked but Belle shook her head no. She still had water at camp. She grabbed it and headed after David.

"Going into the beach alone?" Nick asked, catching up to her.

"Why do you care?" Belle asked a little sullenly, still upset from earlier.

"Can't have my only friend getting eaten by a polar bear," he said softly. His tone was slightly flippant but the under lying meaning was there. Somewhere in the last couple of days he had grown fond of her.

"I'm looking for David," she told him, her previous anger gone.

"He went tearing after something in the jungle after the scientist and pirate got done with their lovers quarrel."

Belle digested this for a moment. "I just want to make sure he is okay."

Gold nodded and the two trekked on.

David's father, Christian, was dying, the result of years of working back breaking hours and not taking good enough care of himself. The doctors were gone now, having made him comfortable and allowing him to spend his last moments on the farm he loved. David and his mother Ruth had been spending shifts at his side, but David knew this was it. Christian was lucid, barely, only just hanging on. David, now a student of veterinary medicine, could feel death's very presence in the room. It made him ill and he wanted nothing more than to turn and leave and never come back.

"Ruth," Christian said urgently, his eyes half lidded, "Ruth you must never tell him." 

Ruth patted Christian's hand, tears streaming silently down her face. "I won't," she promised hoarsely.

"David. Son," Christian was speaking quickly now, as if he could also feel death itself. "You, my son, were born to be great. A leader. Respected. My son...don't..." Christian's words choked and died with the man himself. David turned his head away as his a moan escaped his mother. He couldn't bare witness to this any longer, it had become too much.

"Mother, I'm sorry," he said, walking out. His father was wrong, David thought angrily. He wasn't a leader, and he wasn't born to greatness. He was born to a farmer who worked himself to death, and David would be damned if that was his life too. "

"Did you hear that?" Belle asked, pausing as they tracked. Gold stopped as well but his face was blank.

"I didn't hear anything, no."

Belle narrowed her eyes in the direction the sound had come from, as if that would help her to see better. "This way," she said, deciding to follow the noise. She wasn't entirely sure why Gold had chosen to come along with her. Sure, he had said she was his only friend, but for the most part they had walked in a kind of awkward silence. Something was on his mind; she was just waiting for him to ask it. It was her impression that he was not good at saying what was on his mind and she got the feeling that if she asked he would deflect. Belle was moderately patient, so she waited, staying silent, and hoped he would just come out with it. She was still considering what he had on his mind when she heard David yell. He was far off but his voice was clear.

"David?!"

Belle whirled around as Mary Margaret's voice reached her ears. Without considering Gold, she took off running towards their voices. Gold kept up easily with her once he got over the initial shock of her just taking off with no warning. Belle halted outside some trees, thrusting her arm out to stop Gold from bursting in on a scene she was certain they were not supposed to be witnessing. David sat at the edge off a cliff looking dirty and wildly desperate; drinking from a water bottle Belle assumed the calm, pristine Mary Margaret had given him. She was kneeling next to him with concern written all over her face and Belle couldn't help but be struck by the picture they made. She started to turn away as they began to talk but Gold caught her wrist and made her stay.

"We shouldn't be listening," she whispered. He nodded his head towards them as Mary Margaret told David,

"This group of people need a leader. They need you. You are our leader."

David looked so broken at her words, and Belle's heart broke for the man as he told Mary Margaret, an almost stranger, about the hallucinations he had been having about his dead twin brother.

"How can I help these people when I can't even help myself?" David asked her.

"Come on," Mary Margaret helped him to his feet, "You need to finish what you started. We'll do it together."

David looked her with trust. "I will find him," he vowed, looking more confident.

"Someone else will find water," Mary Margaret added, and Belle would have thought it random if Mary Margaret hadn't shot a glance in their direction. She knew they were there.

"You knew," Belle said once Mary Margaret and David disappeared into the jungle. Gold nodded.

"No point in leaving when she knew we were there." He had a gleam in his eye that Belle did not like. "We should go back and tell everyone David is hallucinating-"

"No!" Belle cut him off, her voice thick with indignation. "Mary Margaret is right, we need a leader. We need David. Don't shake their confidence in him."

"They deserve to know."

"Like the transmission? Sometimes we keep things for the good of others. Surely you can understand that?" She was pleading with him now. He watched her, a calculating look in his eye before nodding.

"Aye. So...water?"

Belle exhaled. "Water."

David had been informed of his brother's death merely twenty four hours before, and somehow it seemed a lifetime ago. A lifetime of believing himself to be an only child, of being concerned with his failing marriage, his ailing mother's health, his Veterinary practice; now he was in Australia at a party filled with people he didn't recognize in a suit he was pretty certain cost more than his house.

"Smile, my son," George told him, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "You're on the path to happiness."

David smiled his most charming smile as Milo Dias meandered by them, his fingers wrapped possessively around an opulent gold goblet.

"Was James happy with this?" David asked George, the man who bought his brother. 

"James was a natural born leader," George told him, fierce with fatherly pride. "He was a great man, someone worthy of everything in life."

"And yet no one can grieve him. I wonder if that gives him peace now," David said unthinkingly.

"He would have understood! Some things are necessary, to put others above yourself. It is a lesson he knew well. Something you could stand to learn."

David dropped the smile. "My mother said you bought him from a man named Gold. Gold who? Where can I find him?" 

"Continue to play your part and I will tell you everything. I will give you everything."

David broke away, smiling as he went. It was all so fake. None of these people were real, all a show. David couldn't stand the phoniness of it all. He knew; if his father could see him now he would be rolling on his grave. This was not what he wanted for David. He wanted greatness for David, but not bought and paid for. It cheapened it, made David nothing more than a possession, something easily replaced. As his brother had been. David decided he could learn more about Gold at home. He would press his mother until she told him everything. He needed to get out of here with what little integrity he still had left. First, however, he needed to see his brother.

Belle and Gold were heading back to the beach, having been unsuccessful in their search for water. It was getting dark and neither wanted to find out what lay in the jungle once it got dark.

"We can try again tomorrow," he told her, watching her worry her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Yeah," she agreed distractedly.

"Belle, can I ask you something?" He asked her. They were close; both could hear the waves of the ocean breaking on the shore. "Of course," she agreed.

"Your fiancée...do...did...you miss him?"

She was quiet for a long time, so long that they reached his shelter before she gave an answer. "I miss who he was," she said finally. "I used to love him. I know that. But...it's been so long, I had almost forgotten I ever did. We grew up together."

"Were you looking forward to the wedding?" Gold asked, despite himself.

Belle looked down at her feet and then back up at him. "No. I had been looking for a way to break it off. I wasn't very brave. I didn't want to hurt him."

Gold nodded, dropping the matter. She still wore the ring on her finger and Gold couldn't help himself. She was twisting it around on her finger, looking at it thoughtfully.

"I guess I don't need this anymore." She took it off.

"Keep it. Just in case we get off this god forsaken place."

Belle hadn't planned on destroying it or discarding it, but she didn't tell him that, instead she slipped it into her pocket. She could decide what to do with it later.

"I was thinking...maybe I could help build you a little shelter...nearby. So you could have some privacy." She smiled at him.

"I think I would like that."

Outside both Belle and Gold heard David call for everyone's attention. He was standing by the fire, everyone gathered around him. Belle and Gold joined them, Belle staying firmly next to him as David explained to everyone that no one was coming for them.

"I found shelter, and water," he continued, "In caves a little way in the jungle. I think we will be safe there if we all go together. We have to learn to live together, or we will die alone." There was murmuring among the group. Belle looked up at Gold, fearfully. Gold looked down at her, his face dark with apprehension. Live together, die alone. She watched David take up the leadership position with easy grace. She trusted him, but she didn't trust everyone else. She didn't want to be in the jungle, living with polar bears and the terrifying monster that had killed the pilot.

"Do you trust me?" Gold whispered down to her. She nodded. "Stay on the beach, with me." His apprehension had turned to defiance. He wasn't the only one; Killian had already headed back down to his place on the beach, looking coolly disinterested as others began to pack.

"Okay," she agreed, feeling a pang of sadness as she saw Jefferson packing his things.

Live together. Die alone.


	6. Chapter 6

She'd known him her whole life but they had never spoken. She should have guessed something was up when he asked her to the dance, after all, boys like him and girls like her didn't exactly travel in the same social circles. Still, Belle was twelve and it was her first dance. So when Charlie Pace, one of the most popular boys in her grade asked her to go with him, she said yes without giving it any thought. She had gone to the mall by herself, her Dad too busy working and her Mom long since departed from this world, and picked out a dress, shimmery, gold, modest. She had spent hours practicing her hair and make-up in the mirror until she had perfected it. 

She was ready and Charlie was late. She kept telling herself not to worry, that he would be there soon, but half an hour passed, then an hour, and then two. Belle blinked away tears as she walked quietly back upstairs, thankful her father worked late nights. She couldn't bare the thought of a witness to her humiliation. She changed into pajamas, washed the make-up off her face, and pulled her brown hair out of the curled up do and into a pony tail. She was thankful it was Friday, leaving her two days to figure out how to deal with the rejection and inevitable teasing she would endure once she got back to school on Monday.

Pushing back her curtains while clutching a book, Belle saw her neighbor Garrett walking quickly from the sidewalk to his front door. The street light did little to illuminate his features and she couldn't tell if he was angry or just in a hurry. Their bedroom windows faced each other so Belle chose to wait and see what was going on. When they had been children they would talk back and forth using signs and markers. He had been her only friend growing up, until two years ago when girls began to find Garrett attractive and he had kind of put her to the side. He still said hi to her, but it wasn't like it had used to be.

Garrett opened his blinds and peered out, a piece of white notebook paper in his hands. When he saw her sitting on the window seat he put the paper up. It read, "Where were you tonight?"

She put up her index finger and dug through her things until she found a notebook and a fat black marker. She didn't want to admit to Garrett what had happened, so she lied and wrote, "Didn't feel like going." 

Garrett frowned and then began writing. He paused re-reading his words, and then held his notebook up for her to read: "Weren't you going with Charlie?" 

Belle's heart sunk. So he knew. Charlie and Garrett were friends so it made sense Garrett would have heard that Charlie had asked her. She didn't feel like talking anymore so she shrugged and offered him a smile before holding up her book. Garrett scowled and walked away from the window, leaving her alone with her book, and her thoughts.

Belle decided to go with David, Mary Margaret, Jefferson, Dr. Victor Whale, and Emma to investigate the caves. David still wanted everyone to move there but Emma had declared she wasn't going anywhere until she saw them so they had formed a small party. Jefferson was unhappy with Belle's decision to stay on the beach, even unhappier when he discovered Gold was building her a shelter. He wanted her to change her mind and invited her to join them. Belle couldn't deny she was curious about what they contained and wondered briefly if maybe it would be safer to move to the jungle with everybody else. She was torn and decided she would make a concrete decision today.

Everyone had brought along water bottles to refill as well. She hadn't told Nicholas she was visiting the caves. She had nothing to feel guilty about, but she felt guilt all the same. Belle's impression of him was of a man who had not had a lot of friends or people to care about him. It was obvious in the way he carried on around her, building her a shelter, going into the jungle with her, asking her to read to him. He never said it and she doubted he ever would because he was unaware of it. Belle was more perceptive and in touch with her emotions to know when someone was reaching out. He could have gone to anyone, instead he came to her, found some kind of comfort in her and she did not want to take that away.

"Here we are," Mary Margaret said, drawing Belle out of her thoughts. Belle, along with everyone else, looked around at the series of caves hidden in the leafy jungle. The air was cool, much more pleasant than the humidity of the beach. It was tranquil, she thought, closing her eyes to revel in the silence. She had almost made up her mind to stay, to convince Nicholas to come with her, when Victor noticed something that disturbed Belle. Corpses. Two of them, in a cave, lying side by side.

"Oh no," Belle said once she got a look at their decomposed bodies. Belle had a very low tolerance for death, the lowest out of any of the survivors. Jefferson looked at her in alarm, catching her wrist as she made to flee.

"They have been there for a long time, Belle," Jefferson told her, attempting to be reassuring. Victor picked up a small pouch as he continued to examine them.

"Probably forty, fifty years," he said lightly. He opened the pouch and pulled out two stones, one black and the other white.

"What are those?" Emma asked. Victor handed the stones and pouch to David who shrugged.

"No idea," he said, finger the stones lightly before slipping them into his pocket.

"So, outside of Adam and Eve here, this isn't a bad set up," Emma declared, looking around. Belle moved away from the bodies, wanting to get back to the beach where she was safe from corpses and polar bears and jungle monsters.

"This is great," Mary Margaret agreed, looking towards the small water fall pouring water into a clear pool. Belle ignored them all, walked to the water and began filling up the bottles she brought.

"We need to bring the rest of them here," David said, following suit.

"Not all of them want to leave," Victor commented.

"Killian won't, and neither will Nicholas," Mary Margaret told them.

"Big tragedy," Emma said under her breath.

"I will talk to them but no one has to do anything." David's tone was final and no one argued. All they had left was their choices.

"Where were you?" Belle was waiting up when Garrett stumbled in at seven in the morning. Garrett looked up at her through his drug induced haze and Belle felt the urge to vomit. He was ghostly pale, a slick sheen of sweat glazed on his face. His inner arm sported a large purplish bruise and his nose was bleeding.

"Baby..." He seemed confused, and Belle waited for him to gather his thoughts. "Baby? What're...why...you're awake?"

"I was worried about you," she said, her disgust turning into anger. "You said you would be home before midnight. I called you." 

"Lost my phone," he mumbled, walking past her to go to their room. He and Belle had bought this house after the success of his first -and last- single with his band Night Swords. She had been fresh out of college and doe eyed with the magic of it all. Engaged to her childhood sweetheart, buying a house, starting their lives together. She had gotten her dream job, working for a collector of rare books. Everything seemed to be working out for them, until the drugs. She hadn't noticed it at first, he hid it better. A couple missing twenties here, some bruising there, all easily explained away. The over dose had been her wake up call, and she tried to get him into a program that stuck, but she could only do so much. She couldn't do this anymore. The money was gone, the band wasn't doing anything anymore, she couldn't afford this house on her own or Garrett's constant theft of the money they did have. She would be short for the bills this month and would have to ask her Dad to make up the difference as it was. This wasn't what she wanted. 

"Garrett," she said, walking after him into the bedroom but he was already passed out. She sighed and began to get ready for work. When she got home Garrett was up and sitting at the kitchen table. He almost looked normal, handsome with his dark hair tousled, his brown eyes watching her carefully as she came in.

"So." She said, setting her keys down. "You're awake."

He stood and walked over to her. She could still see the shadows under his eyes, the slight paleness to his skin, the way his hands shook slightly. "

Baby, about last night. It was just too much alcohol with the boys-" She didn't think about it, it was just a reaction to hearing the same lie over and over. She slapped him so hard her hand hurt. The same stinging hand immediately flew to her mouth as he touched his cheek in shock. 

"I'm so sorry," she whispered before walking past him to their bedroom. "

Belle, I'm so sorry. I need help." Garrett followed behind her and gathered her up in his arms. "This isn't what I want for you. You deserve better. I'm going to get help this time. I promise." Belle just nodded through her tears as he stroked her hair. She couldn't stay with him, no matter how much she loved him. She had to leave.

"Where were you?" Gold asked when Belle got back. She was depositing the water bottles in the cooler, her thoughts still on Adam and Eve.

"The caves," she said guiltily. His eyes darkened for a moment and his mouth formed a light line.

"Ah. And how was that?" She opened her mouth but David over rode her with more loud rhetoric about moving into the caves. Everyone listened as he brought up good points. They would be safe from the glaring sun, there was fresh, uncontaminated water there, and they would have the protection of the caves.

"And what about rescue?" Killian asked lazily after David concluded his speech.

"There is no rescue," David responded patiently.

"How do you know? I am an American citizen, they will be looking for me," Anastasia said, her voice rising in panic.

"They don't know where to look," Emma snapped.

"I'm not leaving," Ana said, standing next to a smirking Killian.

"Well I am," Ruby declared.

"Me too" Archie followed behind her. Nicholas snorted but stayed firmly where he was as people began making their final decisions. Belle watched Victor, Mary Margaret, Ruby, Archie, David, Emma, Henry, an African American man named Lance, Jefferson, and Sean all decide to go to the caves, leaving her, Nicholas, Killian, Magnolia, Ana, the nun whom everyone called Mother Superior, Ashley, the elderly Italian man Marco, and Granny Lucas on the beach.

"You're really not coming?" Jefferson asked her one last time.

Belle shook her head no. "I'll visit though," she offered. Jefferson cast a look over her shoulder and then walked away. She watched him go and then turned to find Nicholas watching her.

"You sure you want to stay?" He asked her. Belle gave him a soft smile.

"I don't really belong there, with them." He looked sad as she walked past him to her half built shelter.

"You don't really believe that?" He asked, following her.

"Believe what?" She asked, fingering a leaf.

"That you don't belong with those people?"

"Oh, well yeah. Besides, I can't live with corpses."

He just stared at her for a long moment. "Here, I have something for you." He ducked into his hut and came back out with a book and handed it to Belle.

"Treasure Island?" Belle asked, laughing. "How appropriate." He seemed pleased at her delight.

"Found it," he told her gruffly.

"Well thank you. We can start it tonight." He nodded.

"Belle?"

"Yes."

"You don't belong here, in this place, with these people. You shouldn't be here."

She smiled sadly, touching his cheek gently for a moment. "But I am here."

"Belle, are you sure about this?" 

Belle looked up at her friend Emily.

"Yes. Yes, I think so." 

"Here," Emily pressed several documents into Belle's hands. "Your work visa, all the documentation you'll need to stay in the United States. You need to meet a man named Gold; he has a book for you. Sell it, buy a place, get a job, start over. Belle, are you listening to me?" "

Yeah, a book, a man named Greg, got it," Belle said distractedly. 

"I wrote it all down," Emily said in exasperation. "Please call me when you get settled." 

"I will," Belle promised, "And you'll let my father know that I am fine?" 

"Yeah. You know, you can call him yourself. You're not going into witness protection."

"No," Belle said firmly, finally shaking herself out of her thoughts. "I need a clean start. I love my father but he will try and convince me to come back. This is the way it needs to be." 

Emily nodded as Belle slipped all the papers in her suitcase. 

"Belle!" Garrett's voice shouted from their living room. "Would you hurry up?! Do you want to miss our flight?!" 

"Go," Emily said. "I'll talk to you soon, and visit too. This isn't good-bye forever." Belle nodded and rolled her suit case out to where Garrett was waiting with a duffel bag and guitar. 

"Here," Garrett pressed something small into Belle's hand. "Don't know why you keep forgetting to put the damn thing on. Don't all women love their engagement rings?" Belle slipped the diamond on her finger. Garrett was on edge, his legs jerking up and down in irritation. Rehab had been more money wasted, although it had taught him how to hide it a little better. It didn't matter. He would always love Heroin more than her and she couldn't do it anymore. She was twenty five now, she needed a change. 

"Bye," she hugged Emily, grabbed the handle of her bag, and walked out. This was Belle's fresh start, the beginning of her new life. 

It was dark and David had left with everyone who wanted to live in the caves. The beach was subdued, especially after the argument Ashley and Sean had had hours earlier. Belle didn't care; she had been waiting for David to leave. Her hut wasn't done so she had moved in with Gold for the time being. He had made her up a little mat by the door and was using some of his stolen batteries to light a flashlight so she could read. He had moved his own bed space back to give her space. Currently he was sitting on it cross legged, listening to her read.

"You know what's crazy?" She said after a pausing for a minute.

"No," he said. "Please, enlighten me."

"I was going to America to start over, and here I am. I know you said I don't belong here, but maybe I do. Maybe this is the fresh start I asked for."

He stared at her. "Be careful what you wish for?"

"Exactly."

"Belle, I don't think-"

"It's okay. It will be okay." Somewhere in the distance Belle thought she could hear someone playing a guitar. Everything was quiet and almost peaceful as she picked up her book again. The ocean broke on the shore softly and Belle smiled. As she began to read again she knew she was right. Everything would be okay. She would be okay


	7. Chapter 7

"Ana! Ana wake up!"

Rough hands were shaking Anastasia awake. She jerked up, pulling his hands off of her. 

"Calm down, it was just a dream," her husband Jamie told her, his expression moving from concern to irritation.

"It's always that same dream," Ana said, flopping back onto her pillow. "A strange room filled with computers from the 70s and that man with brown hair...it's...it's just so vivid." 

"It's just a dream," Jamie repeated sleepily. "In the morning you should call the doctor and do something about it."  
Ana rubbed her eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, I will."

-

"What are you doing?" Killian hissed from behind Ana. She had snuck over to the caves early in the morning and was rifling through the doctors supplies.

"My head hurts," Ana said immediately, jumping back. Killian reached around her and grabbed an aspirin bottle.

"Here you go," he said, pushing it into her hand. "I don't trust this lot any more than the next man but it won't do you any good to get caught stealing."

"Right," she agreed softly, looking down at the bottle. "You're right."

"Something you need to talk about?" Ana shook her head.

"No. Just a bad headache. Come on; let's go back to the beach."

Killian watched her closely for a moment before nodding. "After you, my lady."

Belle was up early, trying to finish her shelter. She had briefly considered staying with Gold and although he had never offered she knew he would let her. Ultimately she had decided against it. She had spent her whole life living with someone and this was her new start. She wanted to be independent.

As she slung the tarp over the top part of her shelter she saw Ana and Killian walking back to the beach. Ana looked exhausted and Killian was scowling.

"She doesn't seem his type," Gold commented from behind her, causing Belle to jump.

"You startled me," she said, her hand on her chest. "And what do you know about someone's type?"

He frowned at her. "I'm a man, Belle. I know a little bit about compatibility."

"Hm."

"What? You think I don't? I was married once," he said irritably.

Belle turned, stunned at his confession. "Seriously?!"

"Belle!" Jefferson came jogging up to Belle from the same area Ana and Killian had just slunk out of.

"Jefferson," Belle smiled, tucking the knowledge of Gold she had just learned away for later. Nick, for his part, scowled at Jefferson and walked off, leaving Belle and Jefferson alone.

"Do you have plans today?" He asked her seriously, eyeing her hut.

"Well I was thinking about doing some shopping but I guess I could do that another night. " She joked.

"We're going to triangulate the Irish man's signal and I was hoping you would help."

"Didn't we try this once?" Belle asked skeptically.

"Not like this. This will tell is exactly where the signal is coming from and locate it's radio tower so we can make contact off the island. Come on, just me, you, and Emma. No one else is interested in helping."

"Oooookay," Belle smiled sweetly. Jefferson was beaming but in that moment Ana caught Belle's attention again. The pretty brunette had left her camp with Killian and Magnolia and was walking quickly into the jungle again.

"Hey," she interrupted Jefferson, drawing his attention back to Ana. "Have you noticed anything strange about Ana?"

"She's in withdrawal," Jefferson said without missing a beat.

Belle shook her head. "Withdrawal is ugly. This is something else."

Jefferson regarded her closely for a moment before watching Ana retreat back into the jungle. "Some people hide it better than others."  
-  
Ana found herself alone in a psychiatrist's office after medication hadn't stopped her nightmares. Her doctor had recommended a psychiatrist to try and get to the root of her dreams. 

"Tell me how they start?" Dr. Barge asked pleasantly, relaxing back into his chair. Ana fidgeted nervously, looking down at her fingers. 

"Uh...well, lately it starts in Australia. Just normally, I am there on vacation."

"Are you happy?" He prompted. 

"I'm nervous. I am about to miss my flight."

"Then what?"

"Uh...well, then I am in a jungle and there is a door hidden behind these long strands of leaves. Inside it's like a compound, the walls are concrete and there is music playing. It looks like something out of a 70's movie. There is a loud noise and a man, a brunette man is typing something into a computer and it stops. He's alone, and his whole life is about this computer and then I wake up."

Dr. Barge scooted forward in his chair, his fingers steepled in his lap. "Anastasia, your dream is very telling, and I think, personally, you will not find closure until you get to the root of your dream."

"What's that?" 

Dr. Barge smiled softly, his blue eyes twinkling. 

"You tell me."  
-  
"You want to tell me what's going on with you?" Killian had caught up with Ana again.

"Leave me alone!" Ana snapped angrily. "Stop following me, just stay away from me!"

"Do you even know where you are?!" Killian demanded. Ana looked around and for the first time realized she was lost. "Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

"It's my dreams! I have been dreaming about this place for months and I have to know why!"

Killian raised an eyebrow suggestively, disbelief etched on his handsome face. "The caves are this way. Want to tell me about this prophetic dream?"

Ana sighed in defeat and began to follow Killian back towards the caves.

"You'll think I'm crazy."

"Everyone's a little crazy, hm?" He glanced at her sideways."Why don't you try me?"

"I think there is an unground bunker buried somewhere around here...and a man is living in it."

Killian's step faltered. "A man...living in an underground bunker...on a deserted island?"

"I know it's crazy," Ana ducked her head, letting her brown hair shield her face.

They reached the caves, allowing Killian to pull Ana into an empty cave.

"It does sound crazy. Ana. No one else is here."

Ana felt her blood pressure rising. "Oh I'm sorry; I forgot you were the island expert! How do you know there isn't a man here? You never leave the beach unless you're following me or stalking Emma Swan! I didn't ask for your opinion! In fact, I asked you to leave me alone!"

Killian opened his mouth to retort when he heard rumbling from around him. He jumped back and Ana did the same in an attempt to avoid the tumbling rocks.

"Killian!" Ana screamed, having made it out safely.

"What happened?" David came running over as Ana continued screaming in horror.

"We were arguing and the cave collapsed and oh my God I've killed him and he was just trying to help!"

"Calm down," Mary Margaret told Ana, putting her arm around Ana's trembling shoulders. "Come sit with me."

"Someone run down to the beach and get me Jefferson," David instructed and Sean, ever faithful, took off running.

Sean found the beach unusually quiet that day but he found Nick working on Belle's shelter.

"Where is Jefferson?" Sean panted. Jefferson had told David he was going to the beach to visit Belle before leaving that morning.

"Do I look like his mother?" Gold asked irritably, tying another row of leaves to the top of her tarp.

"Killian is trapped in a cave, David needs Jefferson!" Sean tells him quickly.

"They went into the jungle," Gold continued his work, obviously unconcerned with the drama at hand. "They didn't tell me where and I didn't ask."

Sean turned heel to run back to the caves, leaving Gold alone with his thoughts for a moment. He could go and find Jefferson, or he could stay out of it. Staying out of it was immensely appealing to him, but the secondary idea that Belle would be disappointed in him if she found out he had known and hadn't tried to help.

Cursing under his breath he took off for the jungle in the direction he knew they had gone. Before he could leave Emma Swan jogged up to where Gold was standing.

"Did he say Killian was buried in a cave?"

"Yes. Going to rescue him?" Gold sneered. Emma scowled and took a step back. She looked like she wanted to say something but instead turned on her heel and went to find Magnolia, who was working on a garden.

"Can you do something for me?" Emma asked her quickly.

Magnolia looked up from her vegetation, wiping dirt and sweat from her brow. "Of course."

"In the distance someone will shoot off a bottle rocket. When they do, can you light mine?"

"Of course, but why?" Magnolia asked but Emma was already running off in the directions of the caves.

Sighing Magnolia left her secluded garden and wandered down to the beach where she found Emma's abandoned bottle rocket and a book of matches. She looked up into the sky line.

"Okay. I can do this. No big deal."

Back at the caves David, Sean, Archie, and now Emma were attempting to dig a hole into the rocks in an attempt to get Killian out alive.

"I don't think we can make this any bigger," Archie said, gently setting a rock back. "Not without bringing the whole thing down."

"Can you fit through that?" David asked Emma. Emma judged the size of it before shaking her head no.

"I can," Ana stood up, wiping her eyes with determination.

"I don't think that's a good-"

"I need to do this," Ana said. She wiggled her way in with some help from David. It took her eyes a minute to adjust but she found Killian alive, huddled in a corner and clutching his shoulder.

"Killian!" She moved as quickly as possible to his side. "Oh my God, Killian, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," he grunted. "Not your fault. Ana, I need you to pop my shoulder back into the socket."

"I can't," Ana said tearfully, shaking her head.

"It's bloody painful, you have to do this."

"I can't, I can't," she cried, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," he said gently, lifting her chin with his good hand to look at him. "You can do this. Do this, and then let's go find your underground bunker. Okay. Just one hard push."

Ana nodded, took a steadying breath, and then pushed. There was a sickening crack and a moan of pain from Killian.

"Good job," Killian told her, pulling her into his arms for a strong hug. "No, how are we getting out of here?"

"Hold tight!" David shouted from the tiny hole Ana had crawled in through.

"We found a place to dig you both out!"

Gold found Belle lying belly down on grass, her chin propped up on her hands and a dreamy look on her face.

"Penny for your thoughts," he said softly, sitting in the grass next to her.

"Nick!" Belle smiled as she rolled onto her back, setting her head in his lap. She looked up at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for Jefferson," he told her, playing with a curly strand of her chestnut hair.

"Oh," she looked back out at the scenery. "I'm not entirely sure where he went to, somewhere that way," she pointed vaguely to the left.

"Ah, well...no point in chasing after him now," he said as Belle smothered a smile. "Killian is trapped in one of the caves."

"Oh my gosh. Is he okay?" She lifted her head up slightly.

"I am sure David will get him out safely and soundly."

"Good thing we didn't move into the caves," she said a little smugly, setting her head back down in his lap.

"I told you."

They lapsed back into silence, Belle watching the sky and Gold playing with her hair.

"Nick?"

"Hm?"

"What was your wife like?"

He looked down at her, surprised. "She...she didn't love me. She..."

"I'm sorry," Belle said quickly.

"It's fine. In truth she was...is...nothing like you."

Belle sat up suddenly so she could look in his eyes. She was surprised by his confession, almost as much as he was.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I shouldn't have said that."

Belle tucked a piece of hair behind her ear nervously. "No...no, it's okay..." She was leaning towards him when she heard the crack of a bottle rocket in the air. Jefferson had lit his rocket.

Belle scrambled for her rocket, making sure her antenna was in place. Emma's bottle rocket from the beach went off and with a quick strike of her match, Belle's went whistling through the air. She stood up and watched it explode into the sky with a burst of yellow stars. She turned around, her face bright with excitement and Gold couldn't help but smile back.

"We did it!" She laughed, throwing herself into his arms. He hugged her tentatively back.

"Come on dearie. Let's go back to the beach. Find out if Killian lives." Belle nodded and the pair made their way back to the beach.  
-  
Australia was a bust for Ana. The foliage looked nothing like the jungle from her dreams. She hated that she was in a beautiful country without her husband chasing down a phantom dream.

She was walking through the airport to board her flight when something caught her eye. A brunette man, holding a black box, his green eyes watching her.

"Hey!" Ana shouted after a moment of stunned disbelief. It was the man from her dream, standing in front of her. He turned to walk away and without questioning on whether she was hallucinating or not, Ana left her luggage next to a chair and took off after him.

"Stop!" She shouted.

No matter how quickly she made her way through the crowd, he always managed to stay just ahead of her. She was desperate, she had to talk to him, touch him, anything to prove he was real.

He turned a corner and Ana followed, but he disappeared. Ana let out a scream of frustration, making the long walk back to her luggage. Dejected, she slowly meandered to her gate only to discover she had missed her flight. A girl was standing behind a podium, typing at a computer.

"Is there another flight today?" Ana asked her once she had been informed of her missed flight. The tall agent typed into her computer for a moment.

"Oceanic 815 leaves for L.A. in two hours."

"Thanks," Ana mumbled, heading to the front to switch her flight. When she got home, she decided, she was going to get serious about stopping these dreams.

It had gone on long enough.  
-  
In the end David got Ana and Killian out of the cave safely. They thanked them and Ana, with Killian at her side, confessed to David and Victor about her recurring dream. They both appeared sympathetic, and Victor prescribed her something to help her sleep at night. Killian promised to search the jungle with her to find her underground bunker. He personally didn't think they would find anything but trees, but even he had to concede that there was something special about this place.

"This will be your last night here," Gold told Belle as he got into his mat to sleep.

"I know. My first time living on my own. Plus, I'll bet you'll be glad to have your own space back."

He hummed non-committedly, his mind wandering back to their moment in the jungle. He had been sure she was going to kiss him and wanted to ask her about it, but was too afraid. He didn't want to make their easy friendship awkward, or worse, but her in a position where she would have to reject him. He contented himself to lay awake long after she had fallen asleep replaying the feeling of her head in his lap, her breath on his face. That was good enough for him.

Jefferson woke up alone in the jungle, surrounded by darkness. The transceiver was near his hand. He rubbed his head, trying to remember what had happened. He remembered lighting his rocket and seeing Emma and Belle's rockets light up the sky. The lump on the back of his head filled in the rest. Someone had followed him and knocked him out.

Jefferson looked around for a moment. Who didn't want them to leave the island? Who had knocked him out?


End file.
